What They Said

If therefore in doubtful cases you would discover God's will, govern yourselves in your search after it by the following rules:

1. Get the true fear of God upon your hearts. Be really afraid of offending him. God will not hide his mind from such a soul. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant" (Psalm 25:14).

2. Study the Word more, and the concerns and interests of the world less. The Word is light to your feet (Psalm 119:105), that is, it has a discovering and directing usefulness as to all duties to be done and dangers to be avoided.  It is the great oracle at which you are to enquire.  Treasure up its rules in your hearts, and you will walk safely.  "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee" (Ps 119:11).

3. Reduce what you know into practice, and you shall know what is your duty to practice. "If any man do his will he shall know of the doctrine" (John 7:17). "A good understanding have all they that do his commandments" (Psalm 111:10).

4. Pray for illumination and direction in the way that you should go. Beg the Lord to guide you in straits and that he would not permit you to fall into sin.  This was the holy practice of Ezra:  "Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and our little ones, and for all our substance" (Ezra 8:21)

5. And this being done, follow Providence so far as it agrees with the Word and no further. There is no use to be made of Providence against the Word, but in subservience to it.

John Flavel

(From: The Mystery of Providence)