Action, if I do not therefore do it becaufe it is fo, Ex. gr. I may give an Alms to the Poor, feed the Hungry, or Cloathe the Naked But let me examine and confider well upon what Principle thefe Actions are founded, whether I therefore do them because GOD hath commanded them if not, my feeding of the Poor will be no more a Good Action, than the Ravens feeding the Prophet was, 1 Kings 17. 6. their feeding of the Prophet was commanded by GOD, as well as my feeding of the Poor; but I cannot fay they did a good Action, because tho they did do this which was commanded by GOD, yet being irrational Creatures, they could not reflect upon that Command, and fo cou'd not do this in Obedience to it. There are fome Perfons, to the very frame and difpofition of whofe Spirits, fome Sins are in their Nature odious and abominable. Thus I have known fome whofe very Conftitutions have carry'd them into an antipathy to Luft and Luxury; and others again, who cou'd never endure to drink beyond their Thirft, much lefs to unman and be-beaft themselves by drinking to Excess. And the like may be obferv'd of Covetoufness, which Luther was fuch an Enemy to, that it is faid to be against his very Nature. Now, I fay,

tho'

tho' the abftaining from these Sins be highly commendable in all forts of Perfons, yet unlefs together with the streams of their natural Difpofitions, there run likewise a spiritual Defire to pleafe GOD, and obey his Commands, their abftaining from these Vices is no more than the Brute Beasts themselves do, who always Ad according to the Temper of their Bodies, and are never guilty of any Exceffes that are prejudicial to them. Hence Ser vants are commanded to be obedient to their Mafters with good will, doing fervice as to the Lord, and not to men, Eph. 6. 5, 6, 7. which clearly fhews, that tho' a Servant doth obey his Mafter, yet if he doth not do it in obedience unto GOD, he will not find acceptance with Him. So that whenfoever I fet my Hand to any Action that is Good, I muft ftill fix my Eye upon GOD's commanding of it, and do it only iff refpect to that, as knowing, that if I give but a Farthing to the Poor, in all my Life, and do it in Obedience to GOD's Commands, it fhall be accepted fooner than theirs, who feed hundreds at their Table every Day, and have not refpect to the fame Command.

Do

I fee a poor Wretch ready to fall down to the Earth for want of a little Support, and my Bowels begin to yerne towards

him, let me fearch into my Heart, and fee what it is that raifes this Compaflion in me. If it flows only from a natural Tendernefs to a Brother in Mifery, without regard to the Love of GOD, who has commanded and enjoin'd it, the poor Man may be fuccour'd and reliev'd, but GOD will not be pleafed or delighted with it. Again, Do my Friends ftir me up to Pray or Hear, or do any other Spiritual or Civil Action, and I therefore only do it because of their Importunity, I may fatisfy my Friends defire, but cannot properly be faid to Obey the Commands of GOD in fuch a performance; fo that the great and only Foundation that I must refolve to build all the Actions of my Life upon, is an uniform Obedience to that GOD, by whom alone I am enabled to perform them.

RESO

RESOLUTION II.

I am refolv'd, by the Grace of GOD, to do every thing with Prudence and Difcretion, as well as with Zeal and Affection.

W

7Hilft I am penned up in this Earthly Tabernacle, I live almoft as in a darkfome Dungeon, having no Light to Work by, but a little that fprings in at the narrow Crevices of my Understanding. So that I had need to make use of all that little Light and Knowledge I have to regulate the Heat and Zeal that fometimes fits upon my Spirit. For good Paflions may fometimes carry me into bad Actions; my Zeal, when hot in the Purfuits of GOD's Glory, may fometimes hurry me beyond his Laws; efpecially where Chriftian Prudence hath not firft chalk'd out the way, and fet the Bounds for it: As in Difcourfe, my Zeal may put me upon throwing Pearls before Swine, or ufing Words when Silence may be more commendable. So in my Actions too, unless Wisdom and Difcretion govern and command my Affections, I fhall frequently run into fuch as wou'd be altogether need

lefs

lefs and impertinent, and therefore ought to be omitted, and daily neglect feveral Duties, which ought to be perform'd.

But my Understanding and Difcretion is chiefly requifite for the ordering of Time and Place, and other particular Circumstances, the irregular management of which may eafily fpoil the best of Actions. For inftance, That may be a good Work at one Time, and Place, which is not at another; and may be very innocent and becoming in one Perfon, tho' quite contrary in another.

It is therefore the proper Office of my Understanding to point out the fitteft Time, and Place, and Perfon, for the performance of each Action I engage in. As for example, In diftributing to the Poor my Hand of Charity must be either guided by the Eye of Understanding, where, when, how much, and to whom to give, or else I may at the fame time not only offend GOD, but wrong my Neighbour, and Myself too; And fo for all other Actions whatsoever, which I ought therefore never to fet myself about, tho' it be of the lowest Rank, without confulting the Rules of Wisdom, model'd by the Law of GOD.

RESO