A Christian Directory, Part 1: Christian Ethics

by Richard Baxter

Direct. VI. It is therefore a principal part of your wisdom and watchfulness, to avoid the opportunities of sinning, and keep out as many impediments as may be in your own way. It is a most foolish and sinful thing in some men, who think it a brave thing to have power to do hurt, though they pretend that they abhor the doing of it. He that saith he hateth oppression, yet would have a power to oppress; to have all men at his will and mercy he thinks is brave: so they that would not be gluttonous would have a tempting table still before them, presuming that their own will is a sufficient preservative against the sin: so they that would not be insnared with lust, have yet a desire to appear as comely, and lovely, and desirable as may be, and to be as much beloved, that they may have other affections at command; and also to have opportunity offered them, that they may sin if they will. And is thy will so well established, mortified, and unchangeable, as to be so far trusted? O foolish sinner! that no better knowest thyself; nor observest thy danger; nor perceivest that this very desire to have the power to do evil showeth a degree of the evil in thy heart, and that thou art not yet so far from it as thou must be, if thou wouldst be safe. Contrive thyself (if thou be wise and love thyself) into the greatest difficulty of sinning that thou canst. Make it impossible, if it may be done. The power is for the act. Desire not to be able to sin, if thou wouldst not sin; not that natural power to do good should be destroyed because it is also a power to do evil, but cast as many blocks in the way of thy sinning as thou canst, till it amount to a moral impossibility. Desire the strictest laws and governors, and to be still in the eye of others, and contrive it that thou mayst have no hope of secrecy. Contrive it so that it may be utter shame and loss to thee if thou sin. If thou be tempted to fornication, never be private with her or him that is thy snare. If thou be tempted to deceive and rob those that trust thee, avoid the trust; or if ever thou have done it, restore and confess, that shame may preserve thee.

Tempt. VII. Next the tempter importunately soliciteth our thoughts or fantasies to feed upon the tempting thing: that the lustful person may be thinking on the objects of his lusts; and the ambitious man thinking on his desired honour; and the covetous man of his desired wealth, his house, or lands, or gainful bargains; and the malicious man be thinking of all the real or imaginary wrongs which kindle malice.

Direct. VII. Keep a continual watch upon your thoughts. Remember that this is the common entrance of the greatest sins; and if they go no further, the Searcher of hearts will judge thee for the adultery, murder, and other sins of thy heart. But especially see that your thoughts be so employed on better things, that sin may never find them vacant.

Tempt. VIII. The tempter also is diligent to keep the end from the sinner's eye, and to persuade him that there is no danger in it, and that it will be as good at last as at first. He cannot endure a thought, a word of death or judgment, unless he can first fortify the sinner by some presumptuous hope, that his sins are pardoned, and his case is good: either he will make them believe him, that there is no such danger to the soul as should deter them; or else he keepeth them from thinking of that danger. He is loth a sinner should so much as look into a grave, or go to the house of mourning, and see the end of all the living, lest he should lay it to heart, and thence perceive what worldly pleasure, wealth, and greatness is, by seeing where it leaveth sinners. If one do but talk of death or judgment, and the life to come, the devil will stir up some scorn, or weariness, or opposition against such discourse. If a sinner do but bethink himself in secret, what will become of him after death, the devil will either allure him, or trouble him, and never let him rest, till he have cast away all such thoughts as tend to his salvation. He cannot endure when you see the pomp and pleasure of the world, that you should think or ask, How long will this endure? and what will it prove in the latter end?

Psal. i.; xv.; Matt. xxv.

Direct. VIII. Go to the holy Scriptures, and see what they foretell concerning the end of godliness and sin: God knoweth better than the devil, and is more to be believed. You may see in the word of God, what will become of saints and sinners, godly and ungodly, at the last, and what they will think and say when they review their present life; and what Christ will say to them, and how he will judge them, and what will be their reward for ever. This is the infallible prognostication where you may foresee your endless state. In this glass continually foresee the end. Never judge of any thing by the present gust alone. Ask not only how it tasteth, but how it worketh, and what will be the effects: remember that God's law hath inseparably conjoined holiness and heaven, and sin unrepented of and hell; and seeing these cannot be separated indeed, let them never be separated from each other in your thoughts. Otherwise you will never understand Christ or Satan. When Christ saith, "Wilt thou deny thyself, and take up the cross and follow me?" his meaning is, shall I heal thy carnal, worldly heart and life, and bring thee by grace to the sight of God in endless glory? You will never understand what prayer, and obedience, and holy living mean, if you see not the end, even heaven conjoined to them. When the devil saith to the glutton, Eat also of this pleasant dish; and to the drunkard, Take the other cup; and to the fornicator, Take thy pleasure in the dark; and to the voluptuous, Go to the play-house, or the gaming-house; come, play at cards or dice; his meaning is, Come, venture upon sin, and fear not God's threatenings, and refuse his word, and Spirit, and grace, that I may have thy company among the damned, in the fire which never shall be quenched. This is the true English of every temptation. Open thy ears then, and whenever the devil or any sinner tempteth thee to sin, hear him as if he said, I pray thee, leap into the flames of hell.

Tempt. IX. If the tempter cannot quickly draw men to the sin, he will move them at least to abate their resolution against it, and to deliberate about it, and hear what can be said, and enter into a dispute with Satan or some of his instruments; telling them, that it is a sign of falsehood which will not endure the trial, and that we must prove all things. And while the sinner is deliberating and disputing, the venom is working itself into his veins, and sense is secretly undermining and betraying him, and deceiving his mind, bribing his reason, and seducing his will: just as an enemy will treat with those that keep a garrison, that, during the treaty, he may send in spies, and find out their weakness, and corrupt the soldiers; so doth the devil with the sinner.

Gal. i. 16.

Direct. IX. Remember that it is Christ, and not Satan, that you are to hear. Truth is strong, and can bear the trial, before any competent judge; but you are weak, and not so able to judge as you may imagine. Ignorant, unskilful, and unsettled persons are easily deceived, be the cause never so clear. If it be a cause untried by you, it is not untried by all the godly, nor unknown to him that gave you the holy Scriptures. If it be fit to be called in question and disputed, take the help of able godly teachers or friends, and hear what they can say: matters of endless life or death are not rashly to be ventured on. But if it be a thing past dispute, in which you have been already convinced and resolved, reject the tempter, and tell him, that you owe him not so much service, as to dispute with him whether you should care for your salvation? Else there will be no end, till you are betrayed and undone: innocent Eve is deceived when once it comes to a dispute. Be not like Balaam, that tempted God, and would not be satisfied with his answer.

Tempt. X. Also the tempter overcometh very many, by making them presumptuously confident of their own strength: saying, Thou art not so weak as not to be able to bear a greater temptation than this. Canst thou not gaze on beauty, or go among vain and tempting company, and yet choose whether thou wilt sin? It is a child indeed that hath no more government of themselves. Cannot thy table, thy cup, thy house, thy lands, be pleasing and delectable, but thou must needs over-love them, and turn them to sin?