A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics

_Direct._ XII. Cast out vain and sinful thoughts in the beginning, before they settle themselves and make a dwelling of thy heart. They are easiliest and safeliest resisted in t...

Pride, being reputed the great sin of the devil, by which he fell, is, in the name and general notion of it, infamous and odious with almost all; but the nature of it is so much...

of temptation; and the devil is the first mover, or efficient of it: and this is the trinity of enemies to Christ and us, which we renounce in baptism, and must constantly resis...

I have been forced to put off many things briefly here, which deserved a larger handling; and I must now omit the discovery of those temptations, by which Satan keepeth men in s...

to deceive one another. In a word, where the love of God and man prevaileth, there truth prevaileth; but where self-love, partiality, and carnal self-interest prevail, there lyi...

praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glor...

not what evil shall be upon the earth." Prov. xxvii. 1, "Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." Gal. vi. 10, "As we have therefore opp...

with thee, thou didst enter into the most impregnable rock and fortress, and house thyself in that castle of defence, where thou mayest (modestly) defy all adverse powers of ear...

the dirt, that his may increase, and his name be magnified; this is the glorifying of God. So when you show the world, that you are above the impotent passions of men, not to be...

It is no vain boast, through a fondness of our own nation, but is generally owned by our protestant brethren beyond the seas, that there is no language in which there are more v...

29. Another sin is, a jeering, mocking, deriding, or scorning at others, either for their infirmities of body or mind, or for their virtues, or through envy and malice, or pride...

I shall be the shorter on this also, because I have spoken so much already in my "Treatise of Self-denial." Before we come to more particular directions, it is needful that we d...

doings." Psal. xcii. 4, 6, "For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work; I will triumph in the works of thy hands. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understa...

I have already spoken of christian works, and the duty of our callings, chap. iii. grand direct. x; and am now only to subjoin these few directions, for the right choosing of yo...

use it but as a servant. Think what a pitiful price a little gluttonous pleasure of the throat is, for a man to sell his God and his salvation for.[416] Learn to be indifferent...

I am next to direct you in that exercise of grace, which is common to all christians. Habits are for use: grace is given you, not only that you may have it, but also that you ma...

The passions are to be considered, 1. As in themselves, and the sin of them as respecting God and ourselves only: and so I am to speak of them here. 2. As they are a wrong to ot...

holy tabernacles of the Most High: God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved." 12. Delight yourselves above all in the forethoughts and hope of the glory which you shal...

Christ saith more plainly, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because t...

and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." "Blessed are ye when man shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall...

_Tempt._ XXI. If they will needs look after grace, he will do all he can to deceive them with counterfeits, and make them take a seeming half conversion for a saving change.

Before I come to the common directions for the exercise of grace, and walking with God, containing the common duties of christianity, I shall lay down some previous instructions...

minded is life and peace: because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be: so then they that are in the flesh canno...

Hypocrisy is the acting the part of a religious person, as upon a stage, by one that is not religious indeed;[147] a seeming in religion to be what you are not, or to do what yo...

6. Another thinks he is no worldling, because he gives God thanks for what he hath, and asked it of God in prayer. But if thou be a lover of the world, and make provision for th...

Though as they are sins against another, adultery and fornication are forbidden in the seventh commandment, and should there be handled, yet as they are sins against our own bod...

If ungodly, miserable sinners were as few, as the devil and their self-love would make themselves believe,[11] I might forbear this part of my work as needless. For the whole ne...

I know that most poor troubled christians, when they complain of the sin of unbelief, do mean by it, their not believing that they are sincere believers, and personally justifie...

About the fear of death, I have written largely already in my "Treatise of Self-denial," and in the "Saints' Rest," and in "The Last Enemy Death," &c. and in "The Believer's Las...

The most that is necessary to be said to acquaint you with the nature and evil of this sin, is said before in chapter iv. part vii. against flesh-pleasing. But something more pa...

wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to satisfy the lusts thereof." Prov. xx. 1, "Wine is a mocker; st...

The most wise and gracious God, having been pleased to constitute us of soul and body, that our nobler part, in its preparation and passage to a nobler state, might have a compa...

will dearly repent it; and then, as it was with Esau when the blessing was gone, so it will be with them when their blessing is gone, repentance, and cries, and tears will be to...

The most holy and righteous Governor of the world hath so restrained Satan and all our enemies, and so far given us free-will, that no man can be forced to sin against his will;...

_Direct._ I. Fitness is the first thing to be respected in your apparel, to make it a means to the end to which it is appointed. The ends of apparel are, 1. To keep the body war...

2. Another means is the public worshipping of God in communion with his church and people. Besides the benefit of the word there preached, the prayers of the church are effectua...

_Direct._ I. If you would escape the sin and danger, which men commonly run into by unlawful sporting, under pretence of lawful recreations, you must understand what lawful recr...

guarded by angels; and devils and enemies forbidden to touch them, further than their Father seeth necessary for their good?--that have the Lord for their God? Psal. xxxiii. 12;...

the world, but by their graces and holiness of life. Abundance that at first did seem to love all christians, as such, as far as any thing of Christ appeared in them, have first...

It is necessary that some christians be better informed what hardness of heart is, who most complain of it.[143] The metaphor is taken from the hardness of any matter which a wo...

Dreams are neither good nor sinful simply in themselves, because they are not rational and voluntary, nor in our power; but they are often made sinful by some other voluntary ac...

abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the lust of concupiscence, as the gentiles that know n...

house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come, life eve...

_Direct._ I. Understand in general of what moment and concernment it is, that the tongue be well governed and used. For they that think words are inconsiderable, will use them i...

Of this, something is said already, chap. v. part i. and more afterwards in the directions against idleness. Therefore I shall say but little now. 1. I shall show you when sleep...

I shall say but little on this subject now, because I have written a Treatise of it already, called "The Crucifying of the World by the Cross of Christ;" in which I have given m...

not hearken to me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted." Observe but what a case it is that they are so insensible of, and then you will see what a hard-he...

and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh.[79]--Blessed is the man that...

_Direct._ I. Employ your ears in the duties which they were made for; and to that end understand those duties.[394] Which are as followeth: 1. To be the organ of reception of su...

I have showed you, in my "Treatise of Walking with God," how much man's thoughts are regarded by God, and should be regarded by himself; and what agents and instruments they are...

sentencing the works of others, (which they confess they never read,) that their reputation of being most learned, orthodox, worthy divines, may keep the chair at easier rates,...

The eternal God having made man an intellectual and free agent, able to understand and choose the good, and refuse the evil; to know, and love, and serve his Maker, and by adher...

salvation or damnation is so near! It is high time for that man to look about him, and prepare his soul, and lose no time, that is so speedily to appear before the most holy God...

and in the sight of the eyes," Eccles. xi. 9. An ungoverned eye doth show the power of the ungoverned senses. Abundance of good or evil entereth in by these doors: all lieth ope...

wanton, filthy speeches. This is the devil's preparative to whoredom and all abominable uncleanness; for when the tongue is first taught to make a sport of such filthy sins, and...

Time being man's opportunity for all those works for which he liveth, and which his Creator doth expect from him, and on which his endless life dependeth, the redeeming or well...

_Direct._ I. Know the uses that your sight is given you for. As, 1. To see the works of God, that thereby your minds may see God himself. 2. To read the word of God, that therei...

witnesses, Dan. iii. "We are not careful, O king, to answer thee in this matter: the God whom we serve is able to deliver us:" when by faith we can go through the trial of cruel...

The positive directions to the essential duties of godliness and christianity have already given you directions against the contrary sins: as, in the first grand direction you h...

As in other cases, so in this, iniquity consisteth not simply in the heart's neglect of God, but in the preferring of some competitor, and prevalence of some object which stande...

and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth:" that is, either be an open infidel, or a holy, downright, zealous christian: but because thou callest thyself a chri...

hope shall perish." Job xxvii. 8, 9, "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon...

once lifted thyself against him, in the army of Christ, and resolvest, whatever it cost thee, to be saved. Read Heb. xi. But how little cause you have to be discouraged, though...