Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

Holv to judge our felws M to our AClimzs. lii Tit. i. T>ireaio11r for Self.jr~dging as ta our A8ia11s. Direct. l • -LEt rvatchfulne{l ov_tr your hearts and livu be your cnntinua/ worJt : Never gro~ Dirtli. t• 'arelefs or negltd;vc of your felvcs: Kt!ep your hearts wHh all diligence: As an t.mfaithfu1 fervant may deceive you, ifyou look after h1m but now and then , Som~y a dcceJtfl41. heart. Let it be continually undt:r your eye. · Object. 'th:n I muft ntgltl1 nry Calling, and do nothing elj(. ~ An[w. It need not be an}' hiudcrancc to you at all: As every man rhat followcth his Trade and labour; doth ftill take heed rhat he do all things righr, and evcty Traveller take-rh heed of [.~.!ling, and he that eatcth taketh heed of poyfoning or choking himftlf, withour any hindcrance, but to the furtherance: of that which he: is about: So is it with a ChriHian abaut his heart: Vigilant heedful· nefs mufi never be laid by, what ever you are doing. Direct. 2· Live i11 the light aJ much aJ i1 poffib!e : I mran under a judicious f<~.ithful PJ.fior, Direl1. .2• and amongfi underftandjng exemplary Cbrifiians : Fo.- they wilt be fhll acquainting you with what you fhould he and do ; and your errors will be eafily detc:dcd, and in the light you arc not fo like to be deceived. Direct. 3• Difcourage not tho{e that would admonifh or reprove you, nor n2gle{J not :their otillion Dlrtll. ;·. 1 of you: No not the railings of an enemy: For they may tell you that in anger (much more in . tiddity) which it may concern you much to hear, and think of, and may give you fome light in judging of your felvcs. . Djred-. 4· If you have fo h•ppy an oppor/ln.:ity, engage {omt faithful bofome friend towatch over you, Direct. i-· and ttll y~u plainly of oU that tluy [re amifi in you: But deal not fo hypoc1itically as to do [his ln the general, and then be angry when he pcrformeth his trufi, and difcouragc him by your proud irnptricnc~. . D1rcd. 5· Put your {elves in anothtrJ ca[t, and· be imp11rtfal: When you cannot eafily fee the Direl1. )• faults of others, enquire then whether your own be not as vitible, if you were as ready to obferve and aggravate them. And furc:ly none more concern you ,than your own, nor thould be fo.odious and gritvous to you ; nor are fo, if you are truly p~nitent. . Dired:. 6. V;rdcrfhsnd yom· ,zatural temper and inclinction, and {u[pelJ thofe jinJ which you arena· Direl1. 6. turJl/y moji inclined to, amJ. there kctp up the ftri{lejf watch. Direct. 7• V111lerft.md wh:at temptations your Place, oud CaVing, and Relt~tionr, 1md Company do mqjl Dire{). 7· {ubjtll you 10 ; and there be mofl fi•fpiciou; of your [<lvu. • Direct: 8. Mar~{_ your fc/'iJeJ well in the hQur of temptation: For then it is that the vices will ap· DireCI. 8- 1 pear, which before lay covered and unknown. ~ Di<rtl:. 9· Sufpcll your filvtJ moft heedfully of the moft commou and mnJI da>tgcrnJtt fint: Efpeci- Dirtll· 9; ally Unbelicf and want of Love to God, and a lecret preferring of earthly hopt:s btfore the hopes of the life to come: and fdtifunc(s, and pride, and ftnfual pleafing of the flefhly appetite and fan· cy: Thefe are the moft common, r.o.dical and rnofi mortal damning fins. Direct. 10. 1'alze certain time.r to eaU your fllvu to a JfcciJl jlrill accouat: As I· At your pre- Virll1. 10 • paration for the Lords DJy at the end of every Week: 2. In your preparation for the S.lcument of Chrifts Body and Blood. 3. And before a day of Humiliation. 4-· In a rime of li,knc.fs or other affi:Ction. 5· Yea, every night review the adions of the forcgoiDg day_. He that ufeth to call his confcicncc krioufly to account, is likcil to keep his a'coUnts in order, and to be ready ~o give them' up toChrifl. DireCt. r r. M1k..f not light of any fin wbicb you difcqver in ) OUr felfexamination : But humble DirrtJ. II• your fclves for it before the Lord, and be affected according to its importance, both in its guilt and ·evil jignific ..llia;t. .• . DirtCT. 12. And let the end of aU be the renewed exerci.fe of faJtb and thank.fulllt{s, and rr{o- Dirtfl.zz.· Imiom for better obediwce hereafter: That you .may fee n1ore of the need and ufc of a S.1viour, and may thankii:\ly magoitic that Grace which doth abound where Go abounded; and m•y walk the more watchfully and ho~ly fat the time to come. ,, '

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