-------------------------=---------=--~------------~---------- :DireElions for a tvell grounded Fait!J. 90 I'irdl. 12•• § 25. Dir<C<. 12. Tak..e herd l<ft .'he Devil do either cajl Jot< into the Jlup ofc~r>t.tlficm·;;::, tJIIo ]itch doubt I, a11d ftari, and pcrplcxmg jimpltJ, "' fhaU mnk! holy obcdmtce jitm to yot< c;r impof fble or a tir<fome thi~tg. When you are alleep in carclefncfs, he can ufe you as he lifl: And if Oh,. diener bemade grievo~«, and ungweful to you, your heart will go agaiufr it, and you will go bur like a tire<] horfe, no longer than you feel the fpur : you are half conquered already, becaufe you have loft the Love, and pleajim of obedience: and you are fiill in danger Jell diiliculries lhould quire tire ycu, and wcari.ncfs make you yield at lafl. The.means by which the Tonptn etlCcterh this, malt ;1ftu ward be fpoken of, and rherefore I fhall Omit it here. §. 26. By the faithful practice of thefe DireCl:iomObtdience may become, as it were, your Natur~. ~ familiar, caJie, and delightful thing: and may be like a chearfld fcrvanr or child, that waitctl; for your commands, and is glad to be imployed by you. Your full fobje[iio;z of your wiU 1 to God will be as the /Jraltb, a11d caji, '"d quiwujf of your wills: You will jfel rhac ir i< never weUor e.ji; wuh you, but when you are obethent and pleafing to your Creators WJJ1, Your deligbt wiU he iJt the Larv oftbe LordPfal.·r. 2· It will be fweeter than hony to you, and better than thou!ands of gold and 1ilvn: And 1his not for any by nfpfct, but as it is the Law ofGod; a Ligbt mtto your fen, and an iu~ tallible guide in all your duty. You will fay with David Pral. "9· 16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 174. J mU delight "c)' filf i11 thy Statutri; I wiU"" forget thy word. '1by Trjlimonm are my delight andmy CounfiUers. AJak._e me to go in tbe patb of thy CommandmeiJIJ : f ur tlureiiJ dJ I dd~sbr. And as Pf~l. 40. 8. I deli~IJt to do thy rriU 0 my Gad; yea thy Law il within my beart. And 0 Bleffrd inbe man that feal'et!J the Lord; tbat delightetb greaJI,y in biJ CommandmrntJ: Pfal. J 12. 1. 1 DIRECT. VII. Gr.Dir. 7• learning as Diki;,J{~ of (ontinue M tiJe (o1mzanted Scholars of (hrijl: , the Prophet and Teacher of ;Ms (hurch, to leam of him by his Spirtt, tvord and Mmijl:ers, tiJe fartlm· knoiV• ' ledge of God, and the thjngs that tend to your Sal')Jation,; mzd this with an hruzeft willing mind, ill faith humility and diligence ; i11 obedience, patience and peace. ( lm!1our Teacher. §. 1· THough I fpake before, ofour Coming to God by Jcfiu Cbriff, as he is theway to the F.zther, 1t is meet that we difiinCHy fpeak of our Relation and Duty to him, as he is our Tracher, our Capt4in and our Majler, as weU as of our improving him as klediator immediareJy unto Go~. The nccrffity of Believers, and the office and work._, of Chrift himfdf~ doth tell us how much of our Reli– gion doth confifi in Learning ol him as his Difciples. Afrs 7· 37· :AProp/m j!MU tht Lord y•mG,d i'o1i[e ;tp Nnto you of J•our brethren, lik.e umo me , him }haU ye be<.J;': This was the voice that came out of the cloud in the holy mount, Mat•. I7· 5· ThM Umy belovuJ S1m in whom I am weU pleafid, Hear ye Him. Therefore is the tide ofDijcipleJ commonly given to Believers. And there is a nvo– fold Te.zcbing which Chrifi hath fent his MiniJlers to perform ; bmh mentioned in their Comrniffion M.u.28·I9120· The one is fo to teacb tbe Natiom, as to m:zf{;'! Di[ciplcs of tbem, by pcrfwacling them Jn. to the School of Chrifi? which container h. dte Teaching of .faith and RepcntJucc and whatever is necet: fary to their liril admiffioo, and to thei; fubju5ting themfelves to Chrill himfelf as their /laced and infaJ. lible Guide: The orhtr is the 'Teaching them further to know more of God, and to obferve ttUthings wbat.. ever he comma~tded them. And tbis Jail-is it we are now to rpeak of,and.I 0Jall add fome fub·dirdiiont for Howt') learn your help. QfChrirt. Srct. 2. Direl1io1u for Learnht~of Cbrifl M our ·Teaclm·. rirc{i,J. Dircil·3· §.i~ Direfr. J, ~{em ember wbo it Utbat ifyour Teacher : th.:~t be Htbe Son of G~d,tb.ll ~toJ-~ttb hi! F.l .. tbeu wiU, a11d Wthe mojl Jaithfitl inf.;Uible P.zjlor ofthe Cburcb. There is neither igno,·.;nce, nor uegli· gence, nor ambition, nor deceit in him, to cJufe him to con~eal the mind of God: Jhere is nothing which we need to know, which he is not bothable and wiUing to acquaint us wich. §. 3· Direct. 2· Remember n·bat it i1 that he Teacbe~b yoH, and to wh.tt Eud: That iris not how to fin and be darnned,as the Devil,•the world and rhe flefh would ttach you: nor how ro fltistie your lulls, or to k.frow, or do, or att.zht the trifles of the world : But it is how to be re1rewcd to the Image ot God, and how to do his will and pleafe him, and how to be jullified at his bnr,and ho'v to tfcape c::verlafting fiu,and how eo attain evcrlafiing joys: Confider this well, and you will g!Jd!y leJrn offuch aTeacher. 9· 4· DiHCt. 3· Lu tbt Book.. ahicb he him[elf bath inditedby hM Spirit, he tbe Rule and princip.1l maltel' of your lea'l"ning. The Holy Scriptures are of Divine infpiration : Jr is thc:m th:Jt we mull be Judged by, and th<m that we mull be Rukd by: and therefore them that we mnfi principally learn. Mens Books and Teachings are but the meaitl for oUr Learning this infalWblc \VOrcl. 9· 5· DireCr. 4· Remember that df it iJ Chrijfs work._ to Teach, it iJyourJ to heat, a;:drc.zd, andfludy, and praJ•, and praliifo wbat yore br.o~r. Do you;- part then if you expect rhe bcnctit. You come not r.o the School ofChrifi to be idle. Knowledge droppeth not into the \leepy dreamers mouth: Dig for'' as fOr Snvcr, and fearch for it in the Scriptures as for a hidden treafure: Mediratc in them day and night. Leave.it to mijir.,ble fooh, to contemn the wifdom of the.mofi high. § .li.
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