1!i1:e8ions for, aweU grounded Faith. mily be without Governll)ent ? <;:hi!dren anJ Servants are kept by it in their f>roper pl~ce and work-_ Think then how necetfary, and excellent is the Univerfal Govern~ent ofGod. . . . , ~· 13. Direct. IQ• 1hi~)twe.U ef the Endlefs I;<ewards and Punijhments, ~y whzcb God wtU procure Dm{J. 10•• o~cdience to his Law1., or: vindicate tht bonottr ofhil Government on tkedifobedtent : "'(ha_t.the ~orld may f&e that he gi:vt:th fufficienc mOJives for all that he requirc:th; he w1ll reward theobedum ~uheverlafting bi£ffidnffs, and punifh th~ J;l.obells with endkfs mi[trJ·. '(ou !hall not fay, that he b1ds you work. for nothing. Though 'fOU c:m gtve him nothmg but h1s own, and therefore can ~er It noth1~g ol him, in point of Commutative J~fi:ice; yet as he is aGovtrnour a~d a Fa:her he Wt~l p~t iO wt?e a ditlerence between the ohed<ent and the rebel/UJus, 'that one !hall be Judged to everla£\mg JOY ( with a, Jf'cU done, good and fuithful fervant ) and the other to evtrlajlingp~nijhment, Matth. 2 5· Is there not enough in Heav~n, in a life of t~;dtf!ji joyes with God, to make obe~:ence l?vely to you,. and to make fin loathfomc ? Is there not enough in HeU to deter v.ou from difobedicnce, a~d dn~e you u.mo God ? God will Rule whether you will or not. C•nftnt to be obedient, or he w1ll ~um!h. you with· vut aski11g your confint. · . ~· 14 • The Dire8io;zs for the nearer txciting of y.our obcdjenct, .and confirming yout: [HQ fob· ~i~-~Bf~~~! P,llion, are thefe. Obedimcc. · Dired:.·•· Kup jiill the face of your [nuls upon God, and in the{en[t of hi<. Greamefs, and _of Dirt/1• ,·. hit continual prejence, and of IJii particnlar 'providence. And tlus ~tU keep Y.ou m an ob~tl!ent~at frame. You will ea£;1y then perceive that fo great aGod cannot be dtfobeyed, Without great Jmqulty and guilt: And tha.t aGod that is conti»ual!y with yo1e, mufi: be continua1ly rtgarded ~ And that a God that exaaly obfervctb and minderh.the thoughts and words of every man, 1\lould by every man be exa8ly mind(d and objirved.. This will help yo~ to under£\and the mean~ng of th~ 'tempter, when l(OU perceive that everyTemptation is an urging of you, to offend (for nothmg) fogrta! a God, that IS juil then obferving what you do. . , §. 15· Dir<cr. 2· Alwayrs remcmberrrbither )!DU are going\ that you are preparingforEvec/Ajfing Duel/.~. Rrji and Joy, and m•JI pajs through the righteous judgement of the Lrrd; and that Chrij! isyo~r Guide and G011rrnour, but to bring )'Cu fofil.J bcme, as the Captain of your falvatWn; and that fin is a rtjell– ing of his help, and of your hapfinefs. Think not that God doth Rule you as a Tyrant, to your hurt 'Qr ruine, to make his own advantage of you; or by needlefs Laws, that have no refpecr to your good andfafcty : But think of him, as one that is condulling you t~ eternal life ; and would now guide )'OU by his co~tn{el, and aficrwardJ tal<f you to his glory. Think \hat he is leading you to the world -of Light, and Life, and Love, a11d Joy, where there ate·Rivers ot pleafure, and fulnefs of delight for cvetmo.re, that you may fee his face, and feel his Love among a world of bldfed Spirits, and not he weeping and gna£hing the teeth with impious impenitent fouls. And is not fuch aGovernwzent M ~hi< delirable? It is but like the Guvtrnment of a Phyficion, to fave his Patients life: Or like your (io– vemment ot your children, which is neceffary to their good, that cannot feed or rule theffifelv~s : .Or like a PilotS governing the Ship, which is conveying you to pofi'e[s a Kingdom: If the Marrincr~ ..,bey him, they may fafely arrive at the dcfired J,'ort ; but if they difobey him, t~ey are all ea£\ away and peri01. And !hould fuch a Government as this is, feem grievous to you? or (hould it not be !lloft ~cceptable, and accurately obeyed? ,- ~· 16. Direct.3. StiUthinlt,_whatd•ngers, difficultits andenemiu you mufl: p4i through ,.,hi1Rej!, v· ll3' J~nd that aU your [aftty dependtth !IJ!." the condua a11d af!iJI•nce of your Guitk. And this will bring . "' • • .over filfluve to command you find obedience. You are to pals through the Army of your enemies' And will you here difobey the Captain of your falvation?. or would you have him leave you to your felves? Your di[tafe is mortal, and none but]efusChrift can cure it; a1.1d if he cure it not, you are loft for ~vcr: no pain of Gowt or Sron.e is comparable to your cverla~ing pain ! And yet will you not be obedient to you~ Phyficion ? Think when a Temptation comes., ~f .the~e were a nar.. row Bridge over the deepe£\Gulf or River, and all my friends and happinefs lay on the further fide; and I mull needs go over whether I will or not, if Chri£1 would take me by the hand and lead me over, would I be tempted to ref~fe his help, orto lofe his hand ? or if he l'hould offer to lofe me, and leave me to my feli, lhould I not tremb.le, and cry out as Ptttr, Lord[•ve me, Matth, '4· 30; Or as the d1fC1ples, Save Majlcr, we perijh ? And lhould I not then hold him fa£1, and moll .accurately obe-y him, when he is leading nie to Lift Eternal, that I may cfcape the Gulf ofendlefs mi[try? . ~"'7· Dired:. 4• Rtmemberj!ill how bad, ,,.dblinrl, and bac)tward, anddeceitful a•d wea.l<. you arc Pireu. 4 •. yoHI' felvts; and therefore what need you have· of the greatif! watchfuu~t[t, lejf youjhould difobey your Pilot, _and loft you~Guide, b~{ort you are aware. 0 whlt a heart have we to watch? A llit:.y bear~ that will be loytermg or fittmg down, when we lhould be following our Lord. A foolifl! heart that will let him go while we play with every play-fellow in our way : A cowardly heart that. will !lea! .away, ~r draw back.mdanger, when It iliould follow our General. A treacbtroH.S be'!Tt ~hat will @.ive us the 11tp, and dccetve us, when we feemed furefi of it. A pur-~lind heart, that even when it followeth Chri£1 our Guide, is hardly ~ept from miffing the Bridge, apd falling into the Gulf of mifcry. Think well of thefe, and you willobey your Governour; · · · §. ! 8. Dire&. 5• Forget not th.e fru)ll of yn~r former obcaiene< and di[obedience; if you would ~e Dirdl. 5 • kept m an obed1ent frame, ·Remember that pbeq1<ncc hath been [wwef1 afier"'ard :and .that you ne- · vcr yet found caufe to repent or bea!hame~ of it: ~<member that the fruit of fin was bitter, and · that when your eyes were opened, and you faw your Chame, you would fain have fled from the face of God; and that then it appeared ant>ther thing io yo'!,then it feemed in the committing. R<lllembcr ' N ' what
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