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This, I fay, is the only Queftion that such a Man has to put to himself, and there is no Difficulty in giving an Anfwer to it. For there is fcarce any Cafe to be put concerning an Action, but it is very obvious, without an Inftructer, to find out which fide of the Cafe, if it be chofen, will moft minifter to the Ends of Vertue, and Religion, and Charity. Or, if it be not obvious, then it is very certain, the Man needs not much deliberate about it, but may chufe either fide indifferently.

It is a very hard Matter oftentimes to determine, concerning the Neceffity and Obligation of Actions; that is, whether a Man be bound to do them or no. It is likewife often 4 hard Matter to determine, concerning the Lawfulneß of Actions, whether a Man may do them or no. But it is a very easy Matter in moft Cafes, to determine concerning the Expedience of Actions; that is to fay, whether it be best and fittest for a Man to do them or Now this laft, I fay, is the Point that a throughly good Man will confider and steer himself by in all his Actions.

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Thus for Inftance, it may perhaps bear a Difpute, Whether a Man be precifely bound by God's Law, to pray folemnly Twice a Day. fo as that he fins if he do not: But it will bear no Difpute, that it is much better and more acceptable to God, and beneficial to ourfelves, to pray at least thus often, than to pray feldomer. And therefore fuch a Perfon as I am fpeaking of, will, upon this Confideration, put it in Practice, (nay, and pray

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felves, and yet do no unlawful Thing? How far they may indulge Wantonneß, and yet be Chaft?

Now, as I faid before, fuch Queftions as thefe are not eafy to be refolved (nor indeed is the Gofpel of Chrift fo contrived, as if it had taken much care whether they were refolved, or no.) But they are really Cafes and Problems that require both Judgment and Learning, and likewife the Confideration of abundance of particular Circumftances, to hav a good Account giyen of them.

But now the Man that doth entirely give up himself to the Conduct of the Spirit, and propofeth nothing to himself in all his Actions but the pure Glory of God; fuch a Man, having none of these Worldly fenfual Defigns to ferve in his Actions, can rarely be fuppofed to have any of thefe Questions to put to himself. And confequently he can never be at a Lofs or Uncertainty, how he is to act for want of a Refolution of them; much less can he be in Danger of Tranfgreffing the Bounds that God hath fixed to his Actions.

All the Point that fuch a one bath to confider in any Action is, Whether will his doing or not doing fuch an Action, better ferve the Ends of Religion? Which will tend most to his own fpiritual Benefit, and the Profit of his Neighbour, to pursue this Defign, or to let it alone? Whether will be more conducive to the Honour of his Lord, to gratify fuch an Appetite, or to deny it Satisfaction?

This, I fay, is the only Queftion that such a Man has to put to himself, and there is no Difficulty in giving an Anfwer to it. For there is fcarce any Cafe to be put concerning an Action, but it is very obvious, without an Inftructer, to find out which fide of the Cafe, if it be chofen, will moft minifter to the Ends of Vertue, and Religion, and Charity. Or, if it be not obvious, then it is very certain, the Man needs not much deliberate about it, but may chufe either fide indifferently.

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It is a very hard Matter oftentimes to determine, concerning the Neceffity and Obligation of Actions; that is, whether a Man be bound to do them or no. It is likewife often a hard Matter to determine, concerning the Lawfulneß of Actions, whether a Man may do them or no. But it is a very easy Matter in moft Cafes, to determine concerning the Expedience of Actions; that is to fay, whether it be best and fittest for a Man to do them or no. Now this laft, I fay, is the Point that a throughly good Man will confider and steer himself by in all his Actions.

Thus for Inftance, it may perhaps bear a Difpute, Whether a Man be precifely bound by God's Law, to pray folemnly Twice a Day. fo as that he fins if he do not: But it will bear no Difpute, that it is much better and : more acceptable to God, and beneficial to ourTelves, to pray at least thus often, than to pray feldomer. And therefore fuch a Perfon as I am fpeaking of, will, upon this Confideration, put it in Practice, (nay, and pray

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oftner too, as he has Occafion) without concerning himself, whether he be ftrictly bound fo to do or no.

It may bear a Difpute among fome Persons, whether painting the Face, be not allowable to Chriftian Women. But it can bear no Difpute among any, that it is more agreeable to the Sobriety and Modefty, and Chastity of a Difciple of Jefus Chrift, and better ferves the Ends of Religion, to forbear all fuch fufpicious Ornaments. (There being rarely any good End to be ferved by them, but abundance of Evil often arising from them.) Now this Confideration alone is enough to fet the Heart of every ferious Chriftian against thofe Practices, and to make them wholly to refrain them.

Thus again, it is argued both ways about Play or Gaming, whether it be lawful or no: (especially when Sums of Money are played for; and the Thing becomes rather an avaritious Contention, than a Recreation and Divertisement) fome believing that it is innocent; others that it is a grievous Sin. But there is no Man, even of those that use it moft, but will readily acknowledge, that it expofeth a Man to great and dangerous Temptations of fundry Kinds; that it is the Occafion of abundance of Sin, and abundance of Mischief, and that it feldom fails to produce intolerable Confequences, both as to Mens Souls, and Eftates, and Families. Now to a Man that loves God, and has a tender Senfe of his Duty, this is enough in all Confcience to deter him for e

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ver from the Practice of Gaming, though it be not made to appear to him, that it is exprefly and explicitely forbid by any Law of Jefus Christ..

So that you fee, that in those Points where there are Disputes on both fides, when the Confideration is concerning the Obligation, or the Lawfulneß of an Action; there is no Dif ficulty, no Difpute at all, when the Confideration is only concerning what is best and most fitting to be done; concerning what is most agreeable to our Duty, and most conducive to the Honour of God and Religion as to that Action: That is evident enough in all Cafes; nor is any Man at a Lofs for finding it out. And that is the Principle which, I fay, every fincere Lover of God governs himself by; and which I would have us all to propofe to our felves for the Rule of our Actions, in order to the securing us from thofe Snares and ftumbling Blocks, to which the Affinity between Vertue and Vice, Lawful and Unlawful, will otherwise expofe us.

Let us not ftand upon Points with God. Almighty, as if fo much was his, and fo much was our own; as if we were to fhare ourselves between his Service and our own Pleasures and Profits, and the like; and were refolved not to pay him any more Refpect or Love, than what fome exprefs Letter of his Law doth exact at our Hands. But let us fo entirely devote our felves to his Service, as to do not only all thofe Things which we are strictly bound to do, or elfe we are Tranf greffors; but all thofe Things that are accep

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