122 Ttmpt. zo. Dirc{1. 20· J\Jhn t6. :. J\8:, 2+5· All. 17.6. Tempt.2I· Dirdl.2I· DireBiollS for a well ,g,rou11ded Fait/J. 9". 63. Ten~t. ::o. It if a d.mg,cr;JVA 1cmpt.1tio1l· when the Devil/ prop·{cth fome 1UJ gncd od, a;)d t11a~tiJ [!rt ji.·cm tb,· fiturt , or the mceff.Jr_y mc.JnJ to accomplijh i't: r::hen he bliiid,th men Jo farr .tr to tbin~ tb: it .i1 ltCctjJJry to their falvatiJ;t, er to other num, or to the we~f.Jrt of the Church, or pr 11 • ,grcjJ f'j tb: Ct1?cl, or tbe pleafing of Gud, tben fin will be commited rrithout rrgrct, and c1mtimrcd in 1-:-i:hwt ,·.pc~~tt.Jr.N ; O,J tb~ account it i1 that berefie, and rl'iU-worjhip, and fuper:ftition art k,_ep 1 up Col. 2. 18, 21, 22,23 - H~ving a !hew of wifdom in will-wor(hip, and humiliry, and neglecting rhL: body. lt is tur God tbat much of tbe wick._tditejf of the world U dqne againfl God: lfl for tb~ Church and Truth, that Papijli IJJve "murdered .u:d pcrj(cuud Ji mail)· 9· 6+ Dirr!J. 10. Remtmbtr that God needeth no tinful means to attain his ends ; He will not be beholdt'n to the Devil to do his work: He would not have forbad it, if he would have had you dont ir. H~ is never at fi1ch a Jofs, but he can tind right means cuough to perform his workby: It is a great part of our wi{Oom wh1ch our falvation lieth on, to choojt and ujt right meanr, when we arc refolved on a right end. le's a. horrible inJLHY a.gainfi God, to intirle him to fin, and make it fcem neceffa1y ro his ends and honour. Gnod tnds will not jufiifie evil aCtions. What fin fo odious that had1 not had gor;d end; pretended for it? Even Chrifi was rnurthered as a malefactor for go•d cnd1, at lean pretended ; even to vindicate God1 honour from blafphrmy, and C.tfar from i;:jur)', ::md the 11ation frcm calamity.· And his difcipks w' re killed (hat Cod might be fcrved by it, and pejtilem troublcrJ of the world taken away. ?· 65. tempt. 21. He would makt U5 prefume becaufe we are God! children , and JpeciaU gract C,jJI1tOt be n:ho!y lv/f, and we bave found that OJICe we had grace; thrref.,re rre m6ly vr:nture Mbcin~ Jufc. 9· 66. Dircli. 21. But many a thoufand !hall be dJmned that once thought they had the truth of Gr.tce: lr is a hard controverfie among learned and godly men, whether fame in a fiate of fa~ ving grace do not fall from it and perifh : But it is paft connoverfie that they lha!l pcri01 that l~vc and die impenitently in willful Gn. T o plead trmh of gr.2cc, for encouragement in tln, is io much ag.J.inft the nature and u(e of grace, as mty make you quefiion the tntth of it. Yoll can be no furer that you have true grace, than you are fure that you hare all known fin, and de~ tire to be free from ir. Chrifl teacherh you how tn mfwcr fuch a horrid temptation, Mlt. 4· 6)7• If tbJU be tbe Son (If Gcdcaji thy {elf down: For it i1 l'Vritten, he jhall giYe bi1 Angeli charge over tbee ---Tbou jha/t 110t tempt the Lord tby God: Snn-jhip, and promifn, and truth of grace, an: incongruous argumtnts to draw you to fin: and heynous aggravations of fin fo comm'irtcd. 9· 67. Tempt. 22· 'Tbe Devil oft mojl dang~roujly imitaterh the Holy Gh(ft, and comC! in the jh11pcof an Angel of light : He wiU be for knowledge in the Gnojlick.f:, fur Unity a11d Government in tl't PapijiJ ; f ar Mortific:uion iu tht Fryars ; for free·grace and tendernd~ nf our Brnhrou Confcio:cer in the Libtrtino; fur Peace ai1d Mutu:1l forbeuance in the Sutinia1tJ :, for Z:al, Self-denial, and fear.. fulncfs of men, aud pretended revelations and fpirituality in the ~a~trJ; He wiUbe againft hen·fie, fchifm, error, di[obedienCl", hypocrifie, prettr,dcdl_y, i1z hatrrJ and perfettttorJ of bolimfi and reforma~ tioit. And when be r~:iU ftem re/igiaiM , be wiU be fi1pe;rfiirious, auli fccm to oHt·go Chrijl himftif. . Dire{/. :2Z• 9· 68. Diretl. 22· Keep clofe to Chrill, rhat you may know his voice from the voice of firangers; And get.holy wifdcm ro try tbefpiritf, and to difccm between things chat ditf..r: Let rhe whole tnme ofTrmb and G.dlimfi be in your Headand Heart, that you may perceive when any would make a breJch in any part of ir· The Devil fett:th up nogood but in order to form evil. Therefore examire JvhiJbtr it tendetb; and not only wh.1t it i;, but what u[t he would have you make of it. And love no f'lli/, becaufe of any Good that is prctendld ior it : and diflike or rejeCr no good becaufe of any tl'iJ ufe that is by others made of ir. And whatc:vu doctrine is brought you, try it rhus. I· Re– ceive none that is againfl the certain N,;wre, Attribwer aod hnnour of God. 2. Nor any that is agai1~ rhc Light or Law of nature. 3• Nor any that is againfi the Scripture: 4· Nor any that is againfi Holincfs of heart and life, 5· Nor any againtl- Charity and Jufrice to men. 6. Nor any ( about mattt'r!S to be ordered by men) that is againfi order ; nor any againfi Government and the peace of Church and State. 7· Nor any that is agair.fi the true Vnity, Peact and Commu liQJJ of Sainrs. 8. Nor any that is certJinly inconlillcnt with great and certain truths. Thus rry the fpirirs whether Tempt. 23• Direl/. 23. they be ot God. 9· 69. Tempt. 23· Tbe 1cmpter ufuaUy dran·etb men to oue cxtream, under prctrnfe of a1vidin_s ano– ther: caufing men to be fo fearful of the danger on one fide ) ar to tak.! 1tJ heed of that on the otb~r fde. 9· 70· Dircl1. 23, Underfland all your danger; and mark the latitude or cxctnt of Gods corn· mands: and watch on every fide; And you mull know in .what duties you arc in danger of txtreamts and in what not : In thofc acts of the foul that are purely rational about )'011r ultimate end, you ~lJnot do too much: as in llnowing God, and Loving him, and being wiiiing and refolvrd to pleafe h1m; But pa!Jiont may poflibly go too farr, even about God ; efpeciallyfia~and griif; for they may be fitch as nature cannot bear without diJlrafrion, death or hinderancc of duty: Bur few are gl1ilry of th1s: But towards the creature paffioJtJ may eafily exceed: And in external alliQ1tJ towards God.or man there may be excefs. But efpecially in point of Judgement, its eafie to flide from exrream mro ex· tream. z. And you mufi know in every duty you do, and every fin which you avoid, and evny truth you n:ceive, whut iJ tbe contrary or cxtream to that particular trttth, or fin, or d1,ty: and keep it in yonr eye. If you do not thus wJtch, yen will rrrllike a drunken man from Jldc to •fide, ar.d never walk uprigluly with God. You will tutn from Prodigality to C.?'i'ttm[nr[!; from cruel per· fwnion
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