n6 Dirdl. I{· 1Jire8ions for a1vell grou11ded Faith. §. 28. Dire{/. 14· This is ditlratled contraditlion: To fetChrill againll Chrill, and the Spirit againH the Ordinance~ of the Spirit : Is it not Claifi and the Spirit that appointed them? Doth he nor belt know in what way he will give his grace? Can you not preferve the foul and lift, without killing the Body: Cnmbt yo~have the 11'aur, and value the Ciftem, or Spring, without cutting off the pipes that mufi convey It• . 0 wonderful? that Satan could ~a_ke men fornad, as thisreafoning harh lhcwed. us _that many_ a~e tn our daye~? An_d to fer t~p fupedhtton or pretend agood heart againH Gods wOJ!hlp, IS to accu{c htm that appomted Jt o( domg he knew not what, and to think th;u we are wifer than hc ? and to iliew a good heart by difobedience, pride, contempt ofGod and .of his mcrcicJ? _ Tit. 4· Teltlptations to fruftrate l~oly dt~ties, tmd make tlmn tmejfeEfual. §.r. THe Devil is exceeding diligent in this: ,, That he may inake the foul defpair, and fay, Now I have ufed all means in vain, there is no hope : 2• To double the finners mifery by turning the very remedy into a difeafe: 3· To £hew his malice againll Chrilt, and fay, l have turned thy own means to thy dif11onour. §. 2. Conlider therefore how greatly we are concerned to do the work of God etfetlually: Means well ufed arc the way to more grace, to communion with God, and to falv~rion: But ill ufed, they diilionour and provoke him, and deltroy our felves: like children that <ut their lingers with the knife, when they iliould cut their meat jVith it. . 'tempt. I· 9•3• Tempt. I. Dutyis fruftratedbyfalfeendJ: As I.1oprocureGodtobear . witb them in their / fi" : ( whcH as it is the ufe of duty to dejlroyfin :) 2. 'to mal;t God fatisfa{lion fqr fin ( which is the. worlz ofChrift:) 3· 1o merit grace ( whe~ the imperfe{/ion merits wrath : ) +· 'to projpe,.,u the world and c{eape aff1irlion, Jam. 4· 3· ( and fo they are but ferving their ft<fh, and dcfiring God to ferve it ) 5· To quiet co,fcience in a courfe of fin ( by finning more in offering tbe facrifice of fools, Ecclef. 5· 1,2.) 6. To be appriJO)tdof nun (and Verily they have their reward, ~.a.t-th. 6. 5•) 7· To be [aved whm they , can k.;cp the world andfin no longtr, ( that u, to obtain that.ih{Gojpel may all be falfe and God ~njuft.) Dire{/. I• 9· 4· Dire{/. I· Firll fee that the Heart be bonell,and God,and Heaven, and Holintfi moftdefmd, elfe all that you do will want right ends. · 1tmpt. 2• §. 5 Tempt. 2· When i•norance or error mal;t men tall.! God for wbat he is not, tbinkJng bl>jphemoHj/y of him, ar if hewer~ Jil{,e them, ~nd Jil{,ed theirfins, or ~ere no luver of Holintfs; they frujtratc ali their worfoip of him. ; Diretf. 2 • §. 6· Dire{]. 2· Study God in his Son,in his Word,in his Saintr,in his TVorJv :Know him as defcribed before, Chap. 3• Diri{l. 4· And fee that your wicked corrupted hearts,or wilful forgetting him, blind nor your underllandings. · "fempt. 3• r 9· 7· Tempt. 3· 1o "me to God in our {elves and out of Chrijl, and ufc his namebutcuftomarily, and not i1t faith and confidence. Dire{/. 3• 9. 8. Dire{l. 3. Know well your fin, and vilenefs, and defert, and the Jullice and Holinefs of God, and then you will fee that ifChrill reconcile you not, and Jultilie you not by his blood, and do .not fantlifie and help you by his Spirit, and make you fons of God, and intercede not for you, there is no accefs to God, nor fianding in his light. 1empt. 4 ./ 9·~· Tempt.4. 1he"femptcr would have you pray hypoc,.iticaUy, with the tongue onry without the heaJ1 : 'to put off God in afiw eujlomary words witb fteming to pray ( as they do the poor, Jam. 2· with a few empty rpgr(i.l) either in aform of wordr not underllood, or not confidered ' 01' not felt and much regarded; or in more grofs hypocrilie, praying for tbe Holincfs whicb they wiU110t have, and againft the fin which they wiU "ot part with. '· Dire{l. 4• §. 1o. Direll. 4· 0 fear the holy, jealous, hent-fearching God that hateth hypocrifie, and will be woriliipped ferioufly in Spirit and Truth, and will be fancHfied of ~11 that draw- near him, Le-:· to. 3. and faith they worfhip him in vailz, that drarv nigll him with tbe.lip1 > TPben the heart ir far fmn him : M~tth. '5· 8, ~· See God by faith, as prefent with thee, and know thy felf, and it will waken thee to ferioufnefs. See Heb. 4· r3. Ho[. 8. 12, I3· "fempt. 5• §.I" Tempt. 5· He would deftroy Faith and Hope, and mak.; yoH do~tbt whether you fhaU get a>ty yhing by duty. • Dire{l. 5· 9· 12. Direll. 5· But; I. Why iliould God command it, and promife us his bleiling if he meant not to perform it ? 2· Remember Gods Infinitenefs, and Omni~prefence, and All-fufficiency : He is as ve– rily with thee, as thou 3lt there: he upholdtth thee: he ilieweth by his mercies, that he regardeth thee; and by his regarding lower things: ,And if he regard thee, he doth regard thy duties. It is all one with him to hearthy prayers, as if he had never another creature to regard and hear. Believe then and hope and wait upon him. 1empt. 6. . §• '3· Tempt. 6. Sometime the 'tempter wiU promi{eyou more by holy duty, tban God dotb, and make JOU expel/ deliverance from every enemy , want and {zck.,nefs, and fPeedier deli••crance of joHl, than tflff
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