'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — July 22

Consider how weak you are in yourselves, and how great a need to watch, lest you disobey your heavenly pilot before you are even aware of it. O what a heart we have to watch! It is a lazy heart that will loiter when it should follow. It is a foolish heart that will let him go while it plays with every toy in the way. It is a cowardly heart that will draw back in danger when it should follow our heavenly general. It is a treacherous heart that will give us the slip and deceive us when we are the surest of it. It is short-sighted that even when it follows Christ as guide, it is barely kept from missing the bridge and falling into the gulf of misery. Remember the fruits of obedience and disobedience. Remember how obedience has been sweet afterward, and how bitter the fruit of sin was. Would you not have fled from the face of God? Did sin not appear different than when you first committed it? Remember what heart grief it cost you and what fear of wrath? Remember how long before your broken bones were healed. This should make the first approach of sin cast you into fear to prevent it. A beast that has once fallen into quicksand, will hardly be driven into the same again. A fish that has escaped the hook will fly from it the next time. Remember where you have fallen and when you have escaped. These considerations will help you to obey more accurately. Remember that this is your day of trial, and how much depends upon your obedience. God will not crown untried servants. Satan tempts to see if you will be true to God or not. In his malice he seeks to undo you forever. This should awake you to watch. If you were told beforehand a thief were to rob you, would you not watch with extra care? If you were running in a race for life, would you not run with all your might? Keep watchful and obedient!

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, I:77-78
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