Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

'])ireEI:iims for ·a tvell grotmded FaitlJ. !i· I 1 , Tempt. 6. 1be Tempter alfo.fititeth hiJ1emptari•mJ,. to our advantages a11d hopes ofrifing 1empt. 6. or rhri'tli1iy,in tbe world: He flttb whtciJ u our nfing or t.h~1vmg tf"Y, ~nd tbue he l~yethlm fntJrtr, nceomm!Jdate to tmr drfigns and end1; maki1tg fome (tnf~tl omt.ffion or cummJffio_n feem neceffary thereto : Eirhrr BJlnm nrujl prop1JCfie againjltbe peopleofGod, or tl{e God muft keep him from honour, by_k,eep· ing him [<om fin: Numb. 24· I 1. If once Judas be {et on, W~at Will you giVe me' 1he Vevrl wiU :racbiJim rbeway to gam: flu way tS neceffary to [uch finfld endf, . ._ . . · 9· 12 ; Dir~li- 6. Takl! heed therefore of overvalumg tbt ~orfd, and hemg. taken With us honour, DirtCi· U. pleafure or profperity : !ake l~eed.Iefl: the Love of earthly tbmgJ, engage you m ~~ger drfirn and de- .fiJ!.nr, w growgreat or ncb. For 1f once your heart have {~eh adcjign, you are gon~ from God : The heart is tr 0 ; 1 r and then aUwill follow as occafion calls for 1t. Undcrfiand thefe Scnptures, Prov• . 23· 4• J.a~M;;. fl~t to berich: Prov. 28. 20, 2~· He that mak_f;tb hajfuo_ be ricl:, j11a~ ~~~ be i;moci_nt: B~ tkat bajlrtb to be riclJ, IJtJtb aJt evil eye: 1T1m. 6. 9·. B1tt ~bey thj/~U be r~c~, faU utto T~»;_ptatzonJ .,and· a [11arf!, nnd iJito many foolijh and hurtJjtl lujlt, n1l)lch dro~n--#ICJr/in dejlrulhon and perdztum: For 1he love ofmonry, i1tbe r(lot of aU evil. Butgodlim[lwitiJAonteJttmcnt,iign•i:JI gain: Seek.,notgreat prattm for Y'"' frlm: Jcr. 45· 5· Be dead to the wo'rld : fear more the l{;fiir~, than the famng w~)'· Love that condition bctl, which fittcih thee for commumon wHh God, or maltetl'l thee the moll profirable fcn•ant to him: and hate that mofi:, which is thy greatdl hinderance from theft:, and would znofi e1~1hve thee tO the world. , §. 1 3. Tempt. 7· 1hl 'fcmptcY fuiwb hif 1empratiom to or<r company: If th~y have any error, or 1empr. 7· fin r.r :~re eng.Jgtd in a1ry carnaJ entcrprifi,he wtU mak$ them fnarer to :u, and rtfflrfJ tzll t[Jry b:tvt ei1fizarcd u1 : Ij' tkry love 111 not, he will mak._e than continual provocations, and {et before ttJ aU their TPTongJ, and provok.! tlf to tmciJ:zrit~blentfl aad rtvt~gc. If thty _love uJ, be wi~ endeavgur· tfl makl their Love to m, to be tbe Shoomg-horn or Harbmger of tlmr error! and e:JJt wayu , to draw m to tbcir imitation. Fie findeth [omething in all our company to m3J:.! the mattfr of fomt 1emptation. §. '4· ViriiJ. 7· Converfc moft with God: Let faith make Chrifl and AngHs you1 moll regarded VireiJ. 7• and ob{frvcd company ; that their mind , and prefeflce may more atfcd you, than the mind and prrfence of mortal men. Look not at any mans Mind,.or TPiU, or Al1imuwithout refpcct to ~d wba govmrab, and to the Rule by which they fl>ould all be fuited, and to the Judgcmmt which will open and reward them as they 2rc. Never [ce man without firing God: fee man . only as a creature dependant on hisMakers will. And then you will lament and not imitate him, when he finneth; and rol.-will oppofe ( andChriflfaithHate, Luke '4·26· J and not be feduced by him, whenhewould fdraw you with him to fin and Hell-: Had Adam more. obft:rved God, than Evr, he had not been fc~ dutc:d by hi.s luiyrr. Then you will look on theproud, and tvorldly, and [wfital, as Scloi"mn on · the flo!hful mans Vineyard, Prov. 24· 30, 3r, 32. I [arv an'd confidrred it wrU; I loofttdon it, and receivrd inflmllion. You would not long (or the l>lague or Leprofie, bccau[e it is your friends d'iffafe. · §. I 5; Tempt. 8.1be 1cmplcr makpb advamage of otber me>u Opinions or Speeches of you, or dtalings 1empt. g, by you ; a11d kY evrry one (Jf them woUld mfnare J'OU in fomt fin : If tbej IJave mean tiJo11ghts of you, or fpra!{_ drjpifing or dij1um11uring n·ords of you, be temptcth you b)' it tohate them, or love them- lefs or to jpeab, co11temptttwjly of rben:. If tiJCy applaud you, he tcmpterh Y"' by it to bt proud: If they ~vrong you, be temptetb ) 'Off turevenge: lf they enrichY""' trr art yo_1tr bmefaliors, hewould iuak,_e their btnefiu a priee to bire )'O!t to fome fin, (l;rdmak$ j ou pay at Je '3 [or tbem, as your {alvatUm cometb to. if tbcy fcorn yo,ujor Religion, be, wordd mal;! you alnamed of Cf>r;ft and his Caufe : If tbcy admire }'OH, be. wou'Jd draw J'OU by it t.o hypocr.ifie. If they threaten r''' be WOtll~ J:awyo~ tO jill b)' fear, 111 he dui Peter : If tluy deal rudtly wttb you, he ttmptttl, )'tJll topaffion, and tortqutte them witb the li/;! : And<vm to dijlajle Religion it filf, · ;fmen profeffing Religi0>1 be agaitrjl J''"• or{<cm to doy 011 any wrMg· '1bus it every man a da11ger to h~ brother. 9· 16. Direfr. _8, Difccrn in all men what there is of God, to be your help, and that make ufe of; VireiJ. g, and what there IS of Satan, fin and [elf, and, that ta~e heeo of. Look bpon every man as a Helper and a1cmprcr; and be prepared flill, to draw forth lmHrlp, and refill his 1empfation· ll.nd remember, that man is bur t~u: Injl-rument: It is SataJt that 1rmptctb yo\1, and·God that tryeth )'Oll by that man ! Saith Vavid of Shimei, The Lord b.ith bidden him : that is, He is bui Gods Rod to fcourgeme for my fin, as my Son himfelf is : AsSciian was his infirutnent in trying Job, notl:>y Gods effe&ing but permitting the firl : Obferve GodandSatan- In it, more tha:n men. ' §· J 7· Tc~pt. 9· Hi1 'Temptat~ons a'lfo are fi~i~aJ, to our f ort-received ~pinio111 and tho1tgbu: IfJo11 1tmpt. 9 • have but let m o~re!uflful thought, or one mahcrous thoug~t, be can mdk$ great advantage of that Ntjl-Egg, to gather m t~zcr_e: M a little leaven to leaven theWholt lump : Re c:m r:1wl it ftp anddown, ant!do much to hatch tt 1ntq a multitude. lf you are !mt tdinud with any falfe r.pinion, or prejudice agaiJ!{f )'our1eacher, y~ur Ruler, or)'oUr Brot6er, he can improve it tofitch increa[e, ~ndrai{e fucb conclaJillnJ from it, ar.d more from thtt.n, and reduce them aU to jiaCiict, aJ jhali maJtt oEfirv~rs Wiili tiflonijhnm:t jjy, Behold how gre.at a mattff a little fire kindlc:th. !i· I&. Vir.-/1. 9• Take heed what 1~tlgbts you firfl ~d~itinloyour ~iiid : And erpeciallywcriP1 VirciJ; 9, and approve none buc upon very good rryaf and cxarnmatJon. And 1f they prove corrupt, fWeep clean ~our tanrafie and mem~ry of them, that t~ey prove ~?t i~habitdnis, and take not up thCir Jocigin~s m you, or have not tzme ~<? .. [paw;z 'lnd Breed. , And 1 hll up the room ~~th contrary thought~, a.nd rififul 'fmth , and che\1Ch !bem d~i/y , that they may CI~creafc ana muftiply : And t~en Y~UI Heamwtll be hl<c a well-peopled Kmgdom, able to keep their poffeffion agai'nl! all dnemi/!. Q.z 9· '~·

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