\st. That it be done in the way and by the means that God hath prescribed with respect unto the outward manner of its performance. And this is especially to be regarded in duties of the worship of God, the matter and outward manner whereof do both equally fall under his command. If this be not regarded, the whole duty is vitiated. I speak not of them who suffer themselves to be deluded by the deceit- fulness of sin, utterly to disregard the rule of the word in such things, and to worship God according to their own imaginations; but of them principally who, although they in general profess to do nothing but wJiat God requires, and as he requires it, yet do not diligently attend to the rule, to make the authority of God to be the sole cause and reason both of what they do and of the manner of the perform- ance of it. And tliis is the reason that God so often calls on his people to consider diligently and wisely, that they may do all accord- ing as he had commanded.
2dly. The affections of the heart and mind in duties belong to the
236 THE NATURE AND POWER OF INDWELLING SIN.
performance of them in the inward manner. The prescriptions and commands of God for attendance hereunto are innumeral)le, and the want hereof renders every duty an abomination unto him. A sacri- fice without a heart, without salt, witliout fire, of what value is it? No more are duties without spiritual affections. And herein is the mind to keep the charge of God, — to see that the heart which he re- quires be tendered to him. And we find, also, that God requireth especial affections to accompany special duties : " He that giveth, with cheerfulness;" which, if they are not attended unto, the whole is lost.
[4.] The mind is to attend unto the ends of duties, and therein principally the glory of God in Christ. Several other ends will sin and self impose upon our duties : especially two it will press hard upon us with, — first. Satisfaction of our convictions and consciences ; secondly. The praise of men ; for self-righteousness and ostentation are the main ends of men that are fallen off from God in all moral duties whatsoever. In their sins they endeavour for to satisfy their lusts ; in their duties, their conviction and pride. These the mind of a believer is diligently to watch against, and to keep up in all a single eye to the glory of God, as that which answers the great and general rule of all our obedience: "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." These and the like things, I say, which are commonly spoken unto, is the mind of a believer obliged to attend diligently and constantly unto, with respect imto all the particular duties of our walking before God. Here, then, lies no small part of the deceit of sin, — namely, to draw the mind off from this watch, to bring an inadvertency upon it, that it shall not in these things keep the watch and charge of the Lord. And if it can do so, and thei-eby strip our duties of all their excellencies, which lie in these concernments of them, that the mind is to attend unto, it will not much trouble itself nor us about the duties themselves. And this it attempts several ways : —
\st. By persuading the mind to content itself with generals, and to take it off from attending unto things in particular instances. For example, it would persuade the soul to rest satisfied in o, general aim of doing things to the glory of God, without considering how every })articular duty may have that tendency. Thus Saul thought that he had fulfilled his own duty, and done the will of God, and sought his glory in his Avar against Amalek, when, for want of attendance to every particular duty in that service, he had dishonoured God, and ruined himself and his posterity. And men may persuade themselves that they have a general design for the glory of God, when they have no active principle in particular duties tending at all that waj'. But if, instead of fixing the mind by faith on the peculiar advancing the
THE MIND DIVERTED FROM PARTICULAR DUTIES BY SIN. 237
glory of God in a duty, the soul content itself with a general notion of doing so, the mind is already diverted and drawn off from its charge by the deceitfulness of sin. If a man be travelling in a jour- ney, it is not only required of him that he bend his course that way, and so go on ; but if he attend not unto every turning, and other occurrences in his way, he may wander and never come to his jour- ney's end. And if we suppose that in general we aim at the glory of God, as we all profess to do, yet if we attend not unto it distinctly upon every duty that occurs in om' way, we shall never attain the end aimed at. And he who satisfies himself with this general purpose, without acting it in every special duty, will not long retain that pur- pose neither. It doth the same work upon the mind, in reference unto the principle of our duties, as it doth unto the end. Their principle is, that they be done in faith, in the strength of Christ ; but if men content themselves that they are believers, that they have faith, and do not labour in every particular duty to act faith, to lead their spiritual lives, in all the acts of them, by the faith of the Son of God, the mind is drawn off from its duty. It is particular actions wherein Ave express and exercise our faith and obedience ; and what we are in them, that we are, and no more.