124 Direllions for a well grounded FaitiJ. !ic. 3· Temptations to drttW tu off from duty. '1emp1. I. 9· I· Ten\'pt. I· THe g~eareft Temptation agaitJjl: duty, ir by per[w•di11g men ~hat itirno d~ty: . 1hm Jn .our da)rrs we have .foen, almoft; aU duty ea~ off by tbJJ errontozu fancy, One faab,_tbat tbc boly obfrrvatton of the Lords d~y l1 not cammandcel ofGod tn Scripture: Another faith TVhat Scrrptttre hu.ve yqz: for famil_y-prrJ_yer, or Jinging PfalmJ, or baptizing lnfant.t, or praying befor; and after Scrm(/n, or [1Jr yner Office, Otdjnation, Tythq, Churches, &c. Another faith that Cburch·Go– vetnmem and Di{ciplinc are not ofDivim lnjfitution: A,rother faith, thJt' Baptifm and the lords· Supper Were but for that age : And tbJH all dutji.t talten doW'Ii in/lead of doiHg it. Dir,·U. I. 9· 2. Dir.cU. I. Read and fear, M>tth: 5· I 9· Wbofoevir foaU breab,_ one ofthefe leaft commimdmentr / and jhaU teach me1t [o, be jhaU be called the leaft in_the Kingdom of Heaven : ·But whoflever jhall do and teacb th7m, the J?me jh:JU be called great in ~he Kingdom of lf.ea!'en. Denying ~uty, is too eafie a way of evadmg obedience to ferve tmn. " Denymg the Laws that bmd you ~o publlck payments will not fave you from them; but for all that if you deny, you mull be dillrained on. And God will make it dearc-r eo you, if you pur him to dillrain on you for duty: M~fi he go to Lawwith you for it? He'll quickly Chew you Law for it, -and prove that it was yout duty. Open your doubts to able men, and you will hear more evidence than you know : But if pride and f•lfe-heamdneft blind you you~~~~= • Tempt. 2 ./" · . §. 3· Ttrn~t. 2. ~~ith the 'Tempter, It is a duty tt> weal{ onu, bztt nut for you: Toa m:ljl not be I jhll under OrdmancCJ, m tbe lowerf orm: ~very d.:~y mufo. be a Sabb.:~th to·you~ and every bit a Sacrament, and Ci!try flace aJ aClmrcb: you ttmfllive above Ordi.nancu in Chrift. • · Dirc[i. 2 , . 9· 4· Dire[i. 2· We mull live above MofaicalOrdinances; CoL 2· 18.2i. but not above ChrijlrOr– S.:e my rwo dmances: unlcfs you will live above obedience, and above the Government bfChrift: Hath not-Chrift: s"."~t,for the appointed the Minifiry aild C~urch·he)pS, 'tiUwe aU come ll1 & perfell man? Erphef. 4• 13; .and promi~ Jllm•Rry. · frd to be with tbtm to the en4{the world? Mltth. 28• zo. It i<' befoolh\g Pride that can make you thmk you llave no need of Chrifis intlituted means. . Ttmpt. 3• §. 5· Tempt. 3· BUt tbou art tmwbrthy io pray or Yeciev_e the Sacra"rrlent : I-t's Hot for Dot/;. Dircfi. 3· 9· 6. Dirra. 3· The wilful impenitent refu[ers of Grace are unw'otthy•: ThewiUing foul thatfairl would be what God would' have him, hath an accepted worthinefs in ChriR:. . i 7'empt. 4· 9. 7· Te~pr. 4• Bttf:w~ile you doubt, youduitnOt i~ faith .; andffle:efore 1a .you it i1 fin;. Di.reli. 4·( sS. 8. D1rel1. 4· But IS 1t not a grca~er fin to lea_ve 1t. ~ndone? y;lll ~oubtmgof all duty, excufe · you from it? Then you have an eafie way to be free -from all ! Do bot doubt whether you fhould be– lieve in God, or Chrill, or love him, or Jive a godly life, and it feems y,oU: think it WiiJ excufe you. But if you doubt wh<thet you fhould feed your ·child, -you deferte~o-bl:-hanged for murrhering it, if you familh it: If you doubt of dutr, it is duty llill, and you are fir{! bound to lay by your doubiS : But things indiffi.renr left to your cltoice, mull not ~be done with a doubting canfdence: It Was of fuch things that Paut fplke. . 1 • •· • §· 9· .Tempt. 5· 1be Devil puts famewiJat ftiU in.t 1 be way, tha~ fee'!'eth nec;ff'ary, to· thmfl okt 1empt. 5• duty- • • · . '! ~· IO· Dire[/. 5· God hath not [et you work,. ':"hich he alloweth you no Time for: I• all your 'Pire[f. 5• time fpent in bett<r things? Is it not your carnal mind t!lat makes yon thlnk carnal1hings rnofin<~dful? Chrifi, faith, One tbi•g i1 nudjul, Luke IO· 42. Seeb,_ fir}! the tciRgdom of God andhi< righteouf- •M•uh. 6 . B· nefi, a11d aU th•fe thi11gr foaU be ~dded to you. Had yo': that love_and delight in holinefs as yon fhould, you would hnd ume for It. An unwelcome Gttell!S put off with any excufe. Othm as-poor "lrr you, can find time for duty, becaufe they are willing. Set your bufinefs in order, and let every thing keep its proper place, and you may have time for every duty. . §. 11. Tempt. 6. But yott are fo Jt1table and unskjlful to pray , to lt.trn) th;Jt it's aJ good nev1r 7'emp!. 6 • meddle with it. Direa. 6• Yo~·~~;l fc!::,Ui,:·P;:~fc~u~ ~~:e~~~k:~t~~~;llad~tft:t:t~~;e :~;~ ~~:,:k·i~~;:,~eJ~,::;tc~:eca~f~ from the Spirit ofGod, and God underHandeth and accepterh them, R.om. 8. 26, 27· ~· 13. Tempt. 7• It rviU be fo hard and long ta learn, thatyou <&PiU nevrr overcome it. <fempt. 7• ~· 't· Dire[/. 7 • WIUingnefi and diligence havethe promite of Gods help. Remember, it is~ thing Dirdi.7. that mu]! be done. When your own ditufe and fin hath made it hard, will you put God and your fouls off with that as an excufe ? If you had neglected to teach your child to fpeak or go when it is young, fhould he therefore never learn > Will you defpair, and let go all your hope on this pre– tence? or will you hope to be faved wiihout prayer and oiher holy duty? How foolifh are both thefe? Siek men mull eat, though their {lomachs be againfi it ; they cannot live elfe. 1 1empt. 8,/ 9: IS· Tempt. 8. But •thon ftndf}! tbou art but the worfe for d111y, a•d ntver the bemr for ,t. Vire!;l. g, 1· 16. DireU. 8. Satan will do what he can to make it go worfe with you after, than before. He will difcourage you if he can, by hindering your fuccefs, that he may make you think it is to no pur– pofe : fo many Preachers, becaufe they have fiOted long and caiCht nothing, grow cold and hear~!efs, and Jeady to fit down, and fay as Jer. 20. 9· I will not mal;! mention of him, nor [peak,. any more •• hu name.
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