of INDWELLING SIN, 449 [4.] The mind is to attend unto the ends of duties ; and therein principally the glory of God in Chrift, Several other ends will finand felf impofe upon our duties : efpecially two it will preis hard upon us with Firfì, fatisfa&ion of our convi&ions and confciences. Secondly, The praife of men. For felf righteoufnefs' and oftentation, are the main ends of men that are fallen off from God in all moral duties whatfo- ever. In their fins they endeavour for to fatisfy their tufts, in their duties,, their convi&ion, and pride. Thefe the mind of a believer is diligently to watch againft, and to keep up in all a Tingle eye to the glory of God, as that which anfwers the great and general rule of all our obe- dience; Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. There and the like things, I fay, which are commonly fpoken unto, is the mind of a believer obliged to attend diligently and conitantly unto, with refpe& unto all the particular duties of our walking before God. Here then lies no final] part of the deceit of fin. Namely, to draw the mind oft` from this watch, to bring an inadvertency upon it, that it (hall not in thefe things keep the watch and charge of the Lord. And if it can do fo, and thereby (trip our duties of all their excellencies which lie in thefe concernments of them, that the mind is to attend unto, it will not much trouble itfelf, nor us, about the duties themfelves. And this it attempts feveral ways. (h. By perfuading the mind to content itfelf with generals, and to take it off from attending unto things in particular inflances. For example ; it would perfuade the foul to reft fatisfied in á general aim of doing things to the glory of God, without conlidering how every particular duty may have that tendency. Thus Saul thought that he had fulfilled his whole duty, and done the will of God, and fought his glory in his war againft Amalek, when for want of attendance to every particular duty in that fervice, he had difhonoured God, and ruined himfelf and his pof- terity. And men may perfuade themfelves, that they have a general de- fign for the glory of God, when they have no a&ive principle in particu lar duties tending at all that way. But if, inftead of fixing the mind by faith on the peculiar advancing the glory of God in a duty, the foul con- tent itfelf with a general notion of doing fo, the mind is already divert- ed and drawnoff from its charge by the deceitfulnefs of fin. If a man be travelling in a journey, it is not only required of him, that he bend his courte that way, and fo go on, but if he attend not unto every turn ing, and other occurrences in his way, he may wander and never come to his journey's end. And if we fuppofe that in general we aim at tine glory of God, as we all profefs to do, yet if we attend not unto it di- flintily uponevery duty that occurs in our way, we Ihall never attain the end aimed at. And he who fatisfies himfelf with this general pur-, pofe, without ailing it in every fpécial duty, will not long retain that pur. pofe neither. It doth the fame work upon the mind in reference unto the principleof our duties, as it doth unto the end. Their principle is, that they be done in faith, in the ftrength of Chrift ; but if men content themfelves that they are believers, that theyhave faith, and do not labour in every particular duty to aft faith, to lead' their fpiritual lives in all the abs of them by the faith of the Son of God, the mind is drawn off' from its duty. It is particular a&ions wherein we exprefs and exercire our faith and obedience ; and what we are in them, that we are, and no inure. (a. It draws off the mind from the duties before mentioned, by in- fìnuating a fecret contentment unto it from the duty itfelf performed, as Xxxxx rn
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