give me leave therefore to appoint the borders of your holy conference and that you may never hereafter pleade ignorance I will tell you what private Christians in their conferences may do and what uâ—der the pretence of conference private Christians may not meddle withall as they tender the edification of the Church advancement of Religion and salvation of their own souls First then there are seven pâ—si ive and speciall acts of conâ—erâ—â—ce and Communion of Saints which particular Christians and private brethren not onely lawfully may but in duty must discharge each with and towards other and they are briefly these 1. Private Christians may and must pray one for another in the behalf of themselves and the whole Church of God prayer is indeed an act of publick worship to be done in and by the Church whose mouth must be the Ministers of God Joel 2.17 But it is also a private and personall duty to be done by every child of God in secret and in society It is Required that every Christian do it and that believers do pray one for another James 5 16. And it is the promise of the covenant of grace that families and tribes shall every of them pray apart and in the times of the Churches perplexity even private Saints though there were no Ministers among them should go together and pray in Communion and by joynt supplication thus did the men that feared God in our Text and the many who were gathered into the house of Mary the mother of John and were praying in the day of Herods Rage acts â—2 12 Some have been angry at but never durst argue against the practice of Christians in private fasts and prayers no it is their duty and priviledge 2. Private Christians may and must confess their sins one unto another none but Papists will confine confession to a Priest or publick officer sin must indeed be sometimes confessed in and to the Church when she is become the object of offence and scandalized by the miscarriage and so the finner become the subject of her censure but private brethren may not onely confess their sins one unto another as they are the parties offended but as they are brethren and subjects of pity and of compâ—ssion who seeing his brother sin a sin not unto death will pray for him and it shall be forgiven him private brethren must not onely pray against the guilt but power also of each others lust and must not onely pray against sin but be serviceable by other means to the subduing the strength thereof and saving the soul from the error of his way and therefore it is commanded that common Saints do confesse their sin one unto another I presume I need not advise prudence in the choice of those brethren to whom we will commit such secrets 3 Private Christians may and must in their private conferences Check and Rebuke one anothers impieties and miscarriages fraternall correption is a duty beyond all exception commanded of God Thou shalt in any wise Rebuke thy brother and not suffer sin up on him Lev. 19.17 Appointed by Christ if thy brother offend tell him of his faults between thee and him as an hinderance to sin and help in temptation exhort by way of Rebuke one another least ye be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin It is the provocation of Repentance balme of a wounded conscience desired by David Let the Righteous smite me it is the Restitution of a Relapsed soul Gal. 6.1 The private mans passage to glory and provision for honour covering a multitude of sins and converting the soul James 5.19.20 The end of mutuall confession is mutuall Reprehension these are the wounds of a friend more faithful then the kisses of an enemy Prov. 27.6 Where let it be Remembred that Reproof is the wound of a friend done in Charity not out of office with pitty and successefull by its truth and justice not with power prevailing by its Authority 4. Private Christians may and must counsell and quicken each others graces And so spur each others duties say come let us return unto the Lord let us joyn our selves to God in an everlasting covenant they must consider observe have an eye unto each others ways and walkings to warm the cold affections and provoke unto love and good works none but the slothfull in duty and slaves to prophanesse can be angry at or argue against the private Rebukes and exhortations of holy conference 5. Private Christians may and must comfort one another in their anguish and affliction sanctity supplanteth no act of society but sets us in a better capacity to perform to Reason much more religion leads friends to visit Job in his afflâ—ctâ—oâ— for to him that is afflicted pity must be shewed by his friend The not speaking consolation was the mistake of Jobs friends in all that long conference they had with him when our friends interr their dead we are directed to comfort each other 1 Thes 5.11 by conferring of the Resurrection of the body the speaking of promises and providences of God so as to prop up a sinking soul to strengthen the feeble hands is the work not onely of publick communion but also of private conference the consolations of God must not be concealed but imparted as occasion requireth unto the good of others 6. Private Christians may and must coÌ„plain of the evil of the times to affect each others hearts with sence of and sorrow for sin or Gods sad providences mens stout words against God must be matter of expostulation to them that fear God Jonathan David must into the field to confer of Sauls wickedness and cruelty Israels abomination must be made mention of among the mourners for it the dâ—eadfull dispensations of God at the death of Christ must be the matter of discourse to the Disciples as they waâ—k to Emmaus every soul must see Gods hand observe Gods providences and make the prosperity of prophaness and escapes impiety the matter of discourse unto his own and other mens discretion to a due demeanor and suitable conversation 7. Private Christians may must confer with each other of the things of faith and salvation none but Papists who lock up the knowledge of the truth from poor souls and the people of God and impose on their faith what the Church doth believe will make it heresie to enquire into and debate of the Articles of the Creed Obadiah may without any sin or disobedience expostulate the injunctions of the Prophets and it shall be a note of Nobility to the Bereans to enquire into the Scriptures to finde the verity of the Apostles doctrine This is no other then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Christian conference allowed and enforced by the ministers in jus divinum ministerii cap. 5. Pa. 81. of this City Nay and was honoured by our Saviour in joyning in society and debating with the Disciples that went to Emmaus the death and resurrection of himself those
have set up Davids resolution though on different principles to keep a watch before their lips and to Refraine from good talk in the sight of the wicked for saints when they meet seem strange and unacquainted each with other opportunities of holy intercourse are little looked after and when accidentally offered we meet each with other as men of no Relation and little affection our language carrieth with it no life counsell or comfort or bespeaketh us to be men devoted to the world and drowned in the earth speaking of nothing but worldly affairs Though times are evil sin is advanced and sad affliction on the godly snares and temptations are on the best of men and run them one straits not well knowing what to do every tongue is tipped with blasphemy and discountenanceth piety saying it is in vain to serve God yet we who professe speciall Relation to God and each to other in the Lord keep at distance each from other and walk alone in such evil times and when occasionally we meet make little or no mention of the ways of God Case and Condition of the Church or cause of Religion complaints of evil and confirmations in good are to us strange language and such as either wee know not how through our ignorance or are afraid through our weaknesse to administer each to other we shall not deny but there is a time to speak and there is a time to be silent and the multitude of words many times are the notes of folly therefore he that hath knowledge will spare his words and that a fool stopping his lips may bee judged prudent Prov. 17 27. But must caution in speaking be the barre of holy conference must we flie from the fools babling into prophane mens silence of the things of God can the tongue chuse but speake out of the abundance of the heart will not holy affections boil in our bosoms untill they bubble out in heavenly discourses must not the lips of the wise seed many and if ever be the time of speaking one to another must it not be when the wicked do speak against the godly their holy practises when God is dishonoured Religion degraded and danger of seduction and apostasie from truth and piety very palpable because the proud are called happy c. But you will say this season of sins successe and prospering prophanesse is an evill time in which the Prophet saith the prudent shall keep silence Amos. 5.13 But doth this evil of the times engage an absolute silence though the prudent are prohibited by the Rage and violence of the wicked who hate him that Rebuketh in the gate and abhor him that speaketh uprightly verse 10. Yet the Prophets of God must speak â—â—y a loud and not spare to tell Judah of her sins the fear of the Saw did not silence Isaiahs prophesie nor the terrors of the dungeon tongue-tie Jeremiah nor yet the scourge prison and proud commands no more to speak in the name of Jesus stop the ministry of the gospell but you are not in awe of office and so bound to speak against opposition private Saints we grant may with much prudence be silent when like to be made an offendor for a word but yet not altogether silent neither though you speak not to the wicked may you not speak one to another though not to the conviction of the proud and prophane may you not conferre to the confirmation each of of others when should godly conference more abound then when open checks will not bee endured by the wicked if any thing do drive the people of God to joint complaints and mutuall communication of gifts and graces it must be the times that are thus evill and therefore Christian soules you who shun the society each of other and abide silent in sinfull times abstaining from holy conference as strange or dangerous let me tell you there is sin upon you and you are greatly to be blamed for the neglect of anindispensible duty and failing in the exercise profitable to your selves and honourable to your God and your sin is capable of these sad aggravations 1 You degenerate from your pious progenitors I have before mentioned many examples of the pious who were frequent and fervent in holy conference especially in evill times as amongst others these in our Text who did speake often one to another the Corinthians did abound in speech and wisedom one toward another 1 Cor. 1.5 And the Romans were filled with all knowledge admonishing one another Rom. 15.14 And the Philipians continned in fellowship from the first day of their conversion The Virgin Mary could not contain the good news brought her by the Angell but up she went to thâ— hill Country to conferre of them with her cousen Elizabeth hath not Catechizing been the object of Popish and conference of prelaticall rage in our Nation witnesse the bulla Papalis condemning Catechizing and the late Prelates complaint of and contests against Conventicles how did not the Protestants in Queen Maries dayes confirm one another unto Martyrdome It is storied of Rawlius White a poor fisher man in Cardiffe in Wales that hee not being able to read did by the reading of his little boy and conference with good men in the time of King Edward the sixt gain such knowledge that hee became an instructer of others going to his neighbours and conferring with them hee did prepare himselfe and them for the patient undergoing the bloudy persecution in Queen Maries dayes I need not multiply instances of this nature you that have been observant of the godly wickedly and falsly called Puritans well know the common and commendable course of conference by them used such Communion of Saints eomplaining of sin and Gods sad judgments hath been the event of evil times in England as hath caused this note to be left upon our Nation Angelica gens est optima stens pessima ridens England is best all in black when prospering prophanenesse provoketh holy conference then doth piety most flourish can you call your selves brethren to the Saints and so basely degenerate from their practice 2. You demonstrate your selves dead members in Christ's body and that because your silence in such sinfull sad times doth bespeak you in sensible and unprofitable without any feeling of Gods dishonour and Religious danger or zeal for the Lords glory and the safety of piety I have before told you warm affections must word it and have vent by good expressions It is impossible for an holy heart to bee tongue-tied Davids holy heart and heated passions wil burst the padlock of resolved silence and constrain good conference especially if enforced with the desire of our brethrens profit for such as are slack in holy conference are unprofitable for the souls of men are no way fed but by the lips of the wise or preserved from falling but by the understanding of the prudent though every act of woâ—ship in the Church is an act of Communion with the Church
and practiseâ— direct contrary to Scripture precepts and have not they who fear the Lord need to speak often one to another the Colloquies of the ungodly and conferences of the seducers and seduced from the faith do every where abound and shall the men who are sound in the faith zealous for true religion cleaving to the covenant of God with constancy be estranged one to another if ever you had need to strenghen one anothers hands and hearts now is your time there was not more need of Saints frequent conferences in times of Popish persecution and prelaticall restriction then in these dayes of sinfull liberty by shamefull Toleration of all impostors the less restraint is laid on you by the Church or state you should be more watchfull one of another and carefull to kâ—ep each other from the use of your prophanely allowed libertâ— know you that it is a saying beseeming a cursed Cain am I my brothers keeper have we not evills to complain of do not men speak stâ—ut words against God is not all possitive pâ—ety under a pretence of holinesse denied do not men say it is in vain to serve God if you have any sence of Gods honour any zeal for true Râ—ligion any feeling of the foâ—ce oâ— temptation any pity to your weake brethren any faiâ—hfulnesse to your own souls any fear of God be quicknâ—d to holy conference flock together seâ—k opportunities of mutuall Colloquie and having found them see you speak often one to another This duty of holy conference especially in evâ—ll times is in it selfe so evident and so excellent that none do or indeed can deny it I shall not therefore stand to enforce it with motives but referre you to the reasons of the Doctrine before urged which you will find to be quickning considerations thereunto I shall onely present you with some directions unto the right discharge and management of holy conference for it like other good duties doth mâ—ny times miscarry by the râ—sh and unadvised management thereof many I must confesse have been the mismischiefes which have redounded from the private conferences of the Godly especially in this City in so much that although the duty hath been allowed and enforced with thâ— publick authority of the ministry of this City in their jus divinum ministerii Cap 5. pag 78 â—9 90. Yet many par icuâ—ar Paâ—tors to some of their peculiar charge have seen cause in a way prudentiall to discountenance and almost disâ—â—low the conferences of pâ—ivâ—te Christians especially with their fixed circumstances that so the inconveniences accidently thence arising might bee avoided I would gladly divide between the duties and their discommodities I dare not debarre Christian-liberty though I would it mâ—y be wisely enjoyed nor interdict the posi ive duty but wil endeavour to instâ—uct you unto the due management and exercise thereâ—f that the evil and inconveniences thereof may be prevented herein I shâ—l prâ—â—eâ—â— yoâ— with some cautions and some directionâ— 1. Some Cautions of evill to bee avoided in holy conferences which must be carefully observed by â—uâ—h as will speak one unto another to edification not destruction and they are these viz. Caution 1 Separate not from the Church sleight not publique assemblies whilst in zeal you frequâ—nt private conferences it is a sin to be noted to our shame â—hat conferences of private Christians have given occasion to schisme and sinfull separation from publick assemblies justifying our late prelacy in their violent resistance of the private conventions of Christians as Conventicles opposite and destructive to Church assemblies we cannot on serious observation but see that the sinfull Schisme of Independency and shamefull separation of the Congregationallists was founded in and nourâ—shed by the fixed conferences of private Christians and how many are there at this day who leave the publick assemblies break from the Communion of the Church disown publick Ordinances and despise them only creep into private houses and spend thâ—ir Sabbath in Colloquiâ—s if not quaking soliloquies mutual discoursâ—s of the things of God and so not only withdraw from but set themselves against the Church and the publick assemblies of Gods people now although private conference is a duty yet the improvement of it to the neglect much more the contempt of the Church and publick assemblies is an horrid impiety This prophane fruit is not the naturall result of conference but is enforced fâ—om it by the câ—rruption of prophane hearts cloathed with the pretense of piety and drawing wicked conclusions from just premises the loose heart â—hinks private exercises to be sufficient and so makes them jostle with publick acts of Religion and the proud heart not enduring the subjection of disciples to be taught with authority in the name of Christ thinks it is better to abide in privâ—te Conference where he may play the part of a Teacher and proudly acts his supposed gifts and abilities for instruction or mans curious brain is so busily captious that it cannot be confined at any time to positive and convincing assertions of truth but must be conversant in that exercise in which he may captiâ—usly propound his criticisms and groundlesse scrupulosities or sceptical objections against plainest principles all which being to much to be allowed in private conferences doth make hearts not awed with divine pâ—escription of method and order of holinesse and not apprehensive of the consistency of publick and private duties nay the priority and preheminency the publick hath of all private means of edification to which the private must give place and not affected with the conscience-binding authority of publique administrations of instruction wherein God him self speaketh above the charitative admonitions of brethren wherein though the thing spoken be good and true yet it is but the advice of men and wants the authority of God to enforce it too much to cry it up and content themselves with it untill the devill taking at mans disposition doth tempt and prevail unto a neglect of publick ordinances a separation from the Church and sinfull withdrawing from the solemn assemblies and shamefull contempt of the publick Ministry prophanely pleading for and blasphemously defending their impiety urging gods words agâ—inst Gods worshâ—p and arguing wee must speak every man to his neighbour and enquire every man of his brother what hath the Lord answered we must teach one another saying know yee the Lord and shall not need any to teach us This forsaking the assemblies and separating â—rom the Church is an evill and inconvenience so dishonourable to Religion and dangerous to the soul and yet so incident unto the holy conferences of the people of God that the holy Ghost hath taken notice of it and bounded the command of private conference with this very caution concerning publick assemblies Heb. 10.24 25. Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works not for saking the assembling of your selves togâ—ther as the manner of some is but exhorting one another in which the duâ—y
teaching 1 Tim. 1â— 11 to exhort and rebuke with all authority Titus 2.15 as being over the Church of God Whilst the ministers of the gospell do require credence and obedience to what they declare not only because true and good but because spoken with authority in the name by the Embassie of Jesus Christ private Christians must know that the onely weight and strength of their instructions lye in the turth and goodnesse with some civill and naturall circumstances thereof and the refusall of them may charge the guilt of despising good counsell and disregarding friends but not disobedience unto God and Jesus Christ to your shame it may be spoken that many youngsters adjoyn themselves to your private societies as expectants of the publick ministery and having inured their tongue in your conference to talk of the things of God do with much confidence impose on you their discourses in the name and authority of Jesus Christ and at length uncalled and unqualified presume to step into the pulpit and speak unto the Church of God as if your conferences were no other then nurseries of pride and vanity I would such as thus presume to prophesie would but seriously ponder that which was certainly spoken in reference to gospell times by the Prophet Zach. 13.5 And the Prophet shall be ashamed every one of his vision and shall no more wear a rough garment to deceive but hee shall say I am no Prophet I am an husband man men taught me to keep cattle from my youth Their faith can be but poorly edified which is fed with a phantastique and imaginary ministry and followed with the curse of God because they have run and I have not sent them they shall not profit this people Jer. 23.32 Whilst you give good counsell do not cheat men of their salvation by giving it with the assurance and authority you never received 4. Private Christians cannot under pretence of conferense cast out of the Church excommunication is the highest act of authority in the Church of Christ and however it hath been highly asserted and hotly contended for it yet remains to be proved that the people or body of the Church are the subject of the keys the Savoy conclusions are neither Scripture nor Church Canons nor are they enforced with the least Scripture argument or answer to what on the contrary hath been objected be not magisterially imposed upon by men of no power lock not your selvs under an implicite faith of what some pretenders to piety professe to believe consult Reason and Religion and you shal find popular power unto Church censure repugnant unto both casting out of the Church is an act judicial and that cannot be done by all they must be Rulers and judges that do execute it if this be the whole Church where are the ruled and to be judged when the incestuous person was cast out of the Church at Corinth it was done in the name of Jesus Christ by many and as the word signifieth principal ones nay by those who judged such as were within not by all the assemblies or any private persons I denie you not the liberty of debarring from your friendly societies I believe a strang and discountenancing carriage towards every brother which walks disorderly to be a duty but for private men to deliver any over to Satan is a grand impiety 5. Private men may not in private conferences cancell the condemnation of the Church or conscience the same authority which doth bind must loose they who shut must open absolution is an act undoubtedly ministeriall and Ecclesiastick the Officers of the Church can onely acquit convicted guilt private Christians must confesse their sins each to other to provoke pitty and prayer but not to procure a pardon further then the offence concerns themselves they may comfortably argue and expostulate each with other the hopes of pardon unto the quieting of the anxious conscience but he must be a minister who doth in the name of the Lord pronounce pardon and in the name of the Lord ministerially though not Judicially cancell conscience and quiet the guilty by assuring Remission of sin upon true Repentance It was unto Ministers that Jesus said whose sins you Remit shall be Remitted and it is by them therefore this ground of faith and foundation of hope be must said as private men have not authority to capitulate so they have none to conclude peace between God and the soul the many that punished did pardon the incestuous Person and that in the name of Christ and therefore with authority to apply Gods poomises and require an acquiescency of soul is positive prophanesse 6. Private Christians may not conclude orders and decrees which shall binde the Church All acts of discipline are attendant on the keyes of the Church such as wear them have the onely power of prescription of things Religious Rites and matters of decency and order in the Church of God Legislation is the height of authority they that consult and conclude for to binde the Church and require subjection must be well commissionated Church counsels I doubt not may send a broad their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 determined decrees Acts 16. â— and conscientious obedience must be yielded to them but for private Christians to prescribe unto the Church of God cannot but be high presumption and prophanesse However you conclude prudentiall Rules to preserve the peace and order of your private amicable societies let them never be imposed on others or prescribed to the Church but know subjection is your station in Gods Church and Legislation above your Reach 7. Private Christians may not commend a blessing to the Churâ—h in the name and authority of Jesus Christ we deny not the power of parents blessing their children by prayer and parentall option as did the Patriarchs and Laban to Iacobs children or friends blessing one another by salutation and serious supplication as Jacob at his comming in going out blessed Pharaoh to be common to all the people of God and to be done by private men but ministeriall blessing by pronuntiation thereof in the name of the Lord unto the Church is an act of worship to God and argument of faith to his people and therefore must be done by authority and belongs onely to his Embassadours and commission Officers the Tribe of Levi is separated in Israell to stand before the Lord and Minister unto him and to blesse his name Deut. 10.8 They must and they onely must blesse in the name of the Lord for they are chosen to this very purpose Deut. 21.5 That your private conferences begin and end with prayer is commendable but that your society break up with a formall and pronounced blessing in the name of the Lord is to be condemned very prudent was the practise of the Church when men unordained and onely expectants of the ministry did for probation sake preach were barred from pronouncing the blessing and thereby made known to the people
neglected matters of order tend to the beauty but not the being of the Church articles of faith and acts of holinesse may be followed by men that are ignorant of the debates of Church order disputes of circumstances becomes many times the destruction of the power of godliness it is noted of eminent Mr. Dod that he never loved to meddle with the coÌ„troversies of the times because they dulled his affections to holinesse if in any thing â—oÌ„mon Christian should be concluded by Church officers it is in matters of discipline order 4. Confer not the experiences of Saints manner of Gods work on the heart and conscience because these are meerly personall may prove prejudiciall unto others conviction and consolation is the common condition of all believers but the modus and gradus operandi measure and manner of it is different ordinarily disposed by the temper and disposition of the subject and cannot be a Rule unto others the easiness of Davids must not be the measure of Manasseh his conviction nor must the thundring conviction and conversion of Saul be the square thereof unto Peter experiences of this nature administer no edification but many times engender in some despondencies and in other presumptions leave we therefore a wise God to work his own work in his own way let us make the work it self object of our observation and discourse not much making known the manner and measure thereof These things I advice be not propounded as the matter of your conference because repugnant to its end but instead hereof confer 1. Prophane practices of the wicked with which your hearts are to be affected and that out of zeal to Gods holy name hereby dishonored and piety to immortall souls hereby endangered and compassion to them who by their prosperity in the course of impiety do become a stumbling block temptation and evill example to others multiplying to themselvs the wrath of God unto which they are by their present successe prepared This is more then probable to have been the matter of which the men in our Text did speak one to another we may not alwaies speak to the conviction of the wicked yet we may and must speak to the confirmation of our selves against the temptation of their prospering prophanesse and successefull sin 2. Principles of which are ploin and obvious to every serious Christian studious of Scriptuee and are essentiall to the vâ—ry being of a believer and indispensably necessary to salaation These are the foundations of the oracles of God by which we are conâ—â—ituted Christians and capable of being edified ignorance and inconstâ—ncy in the principles of faith fits us for all heresie and seduction from the truth the matter of Christ his conference with his Disciples in the coasts of Philippi as is evident by his Whom say men that I am and whom say ye that I am Mat. 16.13.16 Was the verity of the Messias who was to be believed and the matter of his conference with the Disciples that walked to Emmaus was his death and Resurrection those great Articles of faith and Pauls Errand to Rome was by conference to establish the Saints in the faith Rom. 1.11 The common work of the Communion of Saints is to edifie one another in their most holy faith and therefore the principles thereof is the proper matter of their conference 3. Practises of piety which are to be performed unto these being to the gracious soul supernaturall and and above his reach beyond his naturall strength nay contra naturall unto which their flesh bears an enmity they cannot but be weak and dull apt to be wearied especially when under affliction and all worldly discouragements men speaking common course of providence seeming to confirm their language that it is in vain to serve God therefore we must consider one another to provoke unto love and good work so long as the willing spirit is Retarded with the weaknesse of the flesh the words of the wise must be as nails and as goads 4. Promises of Grace which must be the props of the soul the uphold of hope under the prospering providences that do attend the prophane and afflictions which are incident to the Righteous whilst the vision is delayed the just must live by faith and by discoursing of Gods promises and properties establish their expectation of a discrimnating deliverance out of all their sorrows though at the present the proud are called happy c. If these and things of the like nature be made the matter of your conference it will produce its end and prove an ordinance of edification informing your judgements affecting your hearts quickning and establishing the soul in faith and holinesse I have done with the first and shall now passe to the 2. direction unto the right management of conference Direct 2 Right matter propounded proceed unto your conference with due prudence wisdom is the ornament and excellency of every action and must be the especiall property of believers that will put forth in exercises of Religion they must proceed with much prudence and beware of betraying the same into scandall by any acts of in discretion many are the snares which attend holy conference and great are the evils which our corrupt natures do draw from so good an exercise we must therfore be very watchfull to improve it to its end and avoid its evill though accidentall the truely prudent will limit themselves in things lawfull least they Run into things unlawfull It is Austins assertion that he who knoweth not how to deny what is in his liberty will never be able to decline what is forbidden and the truely Godly must avoide the appearance of evill not onely the species but shews the kinds but shadows of sin are to be shunned let therefore your conference be managed with all wisdom in point of time place manner and order 1. The time of conference is occasionall as opportunity is offered for holy conference is not a duty fixed to any speciall season but as divine providence and humane condition doth cast and call us into society we are to speak one unto another as in the time of friendly visit in any affliction familiar intercourse in holy actions or falling into each others company by appointed or unexpected affairs so that the Godly must watch for and catch at the opportunity of exhorting and admonishing comforting one another by holy conference yet we do not deny or deem it unlawfull for the Godly of any vicinity and neighbor hood by mutuall consent to keep fixed seasons wherein to associate and speak one unto another in holy conference onely we advise that the time fixed be our own not Gods or our families our own I say not Gods that is not the Lords day and the season of solemne assemblies and publick worship holy conference I confesse doth well become the Sabbath but the Sabbath cannot well be the fixed season of conference epecially the time of publick exercise when God is by
is what shal become of Gods holy name the thoughts of Gods name fixeth them in faith and filleth them with fervour to cleave close to God and his Covenant under the utmost of opposition The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous run into it and are safe Prov. 18.10 They trust in the name of the Lord when others trust in Chariots and in horses Psal 20.7 And so by the fear of the Lord they depart from iniquity for let what trouble will befall the godly they deal not falsly in Gods Covenant because they forget not Gods name the dread of Gods name is on the spirit to deterre impiety to drive on duty and quiet the soul in dependance on the same not onely doth the fear of God stir up the thoughts of Gods name but engageth the Godly to speak one to another to be much in complaints and conference each with other their hearts swel with holy thoughts and their tongue give vent unto the fire they can not but speak against fin in defence of God and holinesse when the wicked say it is in vain to serve God c. But of this in the next Reason we see then that the Godly are fitted for divine favour being affected with and afflicted for Gods name in an evill dark and cloudy day and can it choose but engage Gods affections unto them but so much for the first Reason why God hearkens and heareth causeth a book of Remembrance to be written and sheweth speciall respect to holy services in times of prospering prophanesse they are the performances of speciall persons related to and qualified for God for if the tears of a Mother could move an Alexander to oâ—liteate all accusations how much more shal the tears and prayers of the Elect Redeemed Called and them that fear the Lord and think on him Render savouries the services of holinesse They perform speciall service and therefore must needs meet with speciall acceptance holy actions are alwayes good but sometimes they shine with more then common splendor God as well as man hath extraordinary services to put his people upon some speciall acts of sanctity are laid on some hands which are not on others and done at sometimes which are not to be done at others Thus prayer is the work of every day but holy fasting and Religious vows are the extraordinary service of extream affliction and so Christian conference though the very act and du y of the Communion of Saints yet this speaking one unto another in the day when men speak stout words against God and say it is in vain to serve him is speciall and peculiar service It is speciall service unto God in respect of the matter of it to speak one unto another by way of complaint of Gods great dishonour by way of comfort under such sad prospering providences to the most prophane by way of confirmation one of another under so strong temptations to apostacy this is no ordinary work to express such sence of and zeal for God It is not the work of every soul no not of every Saint to instruct many and strengthen the weak hands to speak words that may uphold the falling to strengthen the feeble knees as did Job to preach a sermon pen a Psalm and become a pattern of patience Job 3.3 4. Isa 37. as did David in perplexing times of prospering prophaneness is no ordinary service no this requires strength and measure as well as truth of grace they must be strong in the faith that restore a fallen brother with a spirit of meeknesse To speak one to another is speciall service in respect of the principle that animateth and acteth the same the fear of the Lord that excellent usefull and acceptable grace before spoken of is the primum mobile spring of this motion wheel of this Clock Reason of this zeal for Religion The thoughts of Gods name is the oyl that makes this lamp to burn and the fulnesse of those holy hearts who speak out of their abundance but on these I intend not to insist The specialtie of this service which indeed sets the lustre on it and sends it with strength and holy violence towards Heaven is the season in which it is performed Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Pro. 25.11 every thing saith Solomon is beautifull in it's season and a word spoke in season in like apples of gold in pictures of silver It is the season that sets a lustre on these holy exercises they were performed in that juncture of time which eminently called for them Gods attendance to the discharge of them Then they spake often one to another when all men almost spake against them and their God then when the multitude did wickedly and walked stubbornly against God they walk submissively with God then when the prosperity of the wicked made men embrace impiety as the step to honour and stirrup of authority when onely they that tempted Gâ—d were delivered and such as wrought all manner of wickedness were set up they clave close to piety and the practices thereof they patiently wait on God and plead his Cause and provoke one another to courage and constancy then when every tongue was tipped with blasphemie against God and Religion they spake in the defence of both and witnesse it is not in vain to serve God or walk mournfully before him that God is just and gracious and hath regard unto the Righteous so that their then holy exercises were vindications of God and godlinesse convictions of wicked prophane contempts of piety and blasphemies uttered commonly agaist God Confirmations of weak brethren ready to stumble at prospering prophanesse and complaints of zeal and affection to Gods holy name dishonoured so that they run counter to the common cry of the multitude set to do evill and were singular from their neighbours the subjâ—cts of scorn and fury speaking for God and Religion when common policy nay almost Christian wisedome did conclude it an evill time in which the prudent should keep silence For all the fruit to bee expected was opposition and persecution so that this is indeed speciall service To live as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Phil. 2 1â— holding forth the word of righteousness If God have respect to his Children much more to his Champions he cannot but take it wel to see men best in the worst times Shal he slight them that stand for him against the very pride of prospering prophaneness Shall hee not see to them that make all the world see They can serve God for nought Hath God registred all the holy men that have served him no onely such are made Eminent in sacred and Ecclesiastick story who have done especiall service to God Noah a Preacher of Righteous Lot whose Righteous soul was grieved for the sins of Sodom Job a mirrour of patience under the prond censures of his prosperous friends David a Cham pon
language heavenly discourse godly conference the sweet breath of their sound hearts in an hypocriticall age the evidence of their hearts fullness of piety thus venting its abundance the expression of their care by the words of the wise to preserve knowledg whilst the evil communication of the prosperous prophane did corrupt good manners They that feared the Lord spak often one unto anthere whence we shall propound to your serious thoughts Doct. this observation or point of Doctrine The success of prophaneness must stir up the truly pious to speak often one to another Or thus Prospering prophaneness doth provoke the godly to frequent câ—nference Many are the exercises of piety enjoyned by the Lord to be duely performed by his people some are personal concerne only a particular soul but others are publick to be used unto the conviction of the wicked confirmatioÌ„ of the godly against all temptations that assault them and these are not only the administrations of word sacraments in and to the Church in general but also admonitions expostulations of particular Saints in more private and particular societies expressing the thoughts of their hearts by the help of the tongue and communicating their gifts and graces to each other by godly religions conference Godly conference and christian confabulation is an absolute duty and apparent act of the Communion of Saints Incumbent on all the members of Jesus Christ and brethren in the faith to be carefully performed by all that pray for and in their places propagate the perfection of the whole body by the supply of every particular Joynt This dutie is not indeed fixed unto time place and order as are some other acts of worship and dueties of religion but to be exercised as occasion calls for it and opportunitie doth enforce it no condition time or season is unsuitable for holy conference when ever good men have occasion of commerce and opportunity of serious communication yet some estates of the Church doth more enforce it and an enquirie of opportunitie to enjoy it then others when the tongues of the wicked do walke proudly through the earth the tongues of the godly must be tuned for Heaven when the prophane glutted with their prospering prouidences do speak pride and blasphemy and that in talking stoutly against God and and openly affirm it It is in vain to serve God it is no profit to walk mournfully before him all the day for that the proud are called happie Then above all times is it a time for them that feare the Lord to speak often one unto another though our words must be always seasoned with grace and our care must ever be to admonish one another yet more especially when assaulted with the temptation of prospering prophanenesse then our ordinary language and our often discourse must be holy conference This hath been the care and carriage of them that feared the Lord in all ages of the world you shall not find the old World filled with pride security and sensuallity but Noah the preacher of Righteousnesse will be speaking of and preparing for the approaching Flood Nor shall you read of the Captivity of Righteous Lot but also of Abrahams consultation with his chatechised servants for his rescue conference with Melchizedeck Israels oppression cannot increase by the pride of prosperous Egypt Gen. 14. but Moses Aron will confer of the mind of God concerning their deliverance and their own duty towards it Exod. 4.14.15 16. Sauls pride and blasphemies passe not without the serious conferences of Jonathan and David Sam. 18.19 Job is no sooner brought into distresse but his friends gather about him to conferre of the things of God though they make false conclusions yet they discoursed right â—eligious premises Ahab succeeds not in his idolatry but we shall finde the Prophet Elijah and Elisha and he and Obadiah in godly conference nor can Jesus Christ be crucified and blasphemed at Jerusalem Luk. 24.13 but his disciples will discourse as they walk to Emmans of the things that befell him nor shall the Roman Emperors in their prosperitie oppresse the Faith and afflict the Romane Christians but the Apostle Paul longs to see them to the end he may imparte unto them some spirituall good that they may be established we shall not read in sacred or Ecclesiastick storie of the successe of prophaneness which did not stir up the holy conference of the godly The fellowship of the Saints is never so visible as in the suffering seasons of the Church Arius prosperity unto persecution made the Orthordox resort one to another with frequencie Marian pride in the successe of Poperie made the Protestant reformers to confer with diligence the things of truth and of salvation the late prelaticall crueltie was the spur of the Puritans Conventicles as in derision their holy conferences were called for in such times as these if ever Communion of Saints is necessary profitable and comfortable for then they That feare the Lord speak often one to another By way of complaint of sin and sorrow the wickednesse of men and darke providences of God that the heart may be affected with both and they may as becomes them mourn for the abominations which abound and the blasphemies which are proudly belched against God his name truth Ordinances and people in this day of prospering prophanenesse and duly pray the diversion of these darke providences which are so dishonourable to God and discouraging to Godlinesse sin must not succeed in the World or sorrow seize on the Saints without their sensible observation and sad but serious expostulation with God and each with others by way of confirmation each of others spirit against the strong influence of so sore temptations we have before noted that the prosperity of the wicked is a very great stumbling stone to the godly at this David spurned and had almost slipt unto the condemning the generation of the iust Psal 7.3.7 and charging vanity on the course of piety On this Peter fell to the denyall of his Lord and Master making him with more then ordinary earnestnesse enquire his affection to him Peter lovest thou me Peter lovest thou me Peter lovest thou me It is strange if Ahabs insolency in his Idolatry make not all even the best of Israell to halt between two opinions and most to fall into flat and open Idolatry when the multitude do evill those few who will not follow them have need to cleave close together if ever the feâ—ble knees must be strengthened it must be when they stumble at the prosperity of prophanenesse If ever the godly will be armed against impiety it must be when it ascends the there and becomes the stirrop of authority and sole principle of preferment and if they will ever speakne couragingly of waiting on God and walking with him in holinesse it must be when most men discouragingly determine God hath forsaken the Earth doth not regarde the righteous It 's in
honour on them then ever Ahashuerosh did on Mordecay when by the record of his good service his oblivion was allarum'd for his compassion doth work towards them he is peirced to the heart with this holy language his pity is provoked to spare them as a man spareth his own son which serveth him Nay his complacency is in them they shall be his is propriety and his jewels in peculiarity whose hearts cause such holy language in so bad and evil times but of these I shall speak more fully hereafter we see then what delight God takes in holy conference no tender parent can with more delight listen to the tatlings of her babe or lay up in her heart the pretty prudent reasons urged by the child and set her heart on the childe with more serious and compassionate affections then God doth to his people in their holy conference nor is it to be wondered at for this discourse is the expression of the thoughts of his holy name which they fear and evidence of those zealous affections they bear unto the honour of his name wayes of his holiness and this leads me to the 2d. Reason of the point Prospering prophaness provokes Reason 2 holy conference to declare the sincerity of sanctity God loves the truth in the inward parts hypocrisie is to God an abomination all outward profession of his name and attendance on his ordinances are of no value without sincere sanctity and an upright heart he is not a Jew who is one outwardly nor is that circumcision which is of the flesh but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and whose circumcision is of the heart whose praise is not of men but of God such as will be delight unto the Lord must be upright in heart the integrity of the heart covereth many infirmities God winks at the weakness of his sincere servants whose hearts are right before him mens care must be to manifest that holy conference in evill times as an evident declaration of sincere grace such as have superficiall and temporary graces may be forward in common and ordinary acts of holinesse and religion but are estranged to and carelesse of the rare and extraordinary acts thereof Common Christians make some care of publique exercises of Religion such as hearing Reading and the like ordinances of the Church in common but when acts of private and personall concernment are to to be performed they think them needless and superfluous all specialties in Religion are in their account singularities and nicities and the agents in them deemed busie bodies and giddy spirits making themselves over righteous but the sincere make conscience of keeping all Gods commands and performing every prescribed duty as well those which are private and personall as those which are publick and common and in this their speaking one to another there are these evidences of their sincere holiness 1. It is an especial service to God a speaking to him for him coÌ„plaining of the dishonor done to him confirming each others in adependence on him holy confereÌ„ce in so sinful times under so sad discouragements doth spring out of an heart 1. Apprehensive of present affairs observant of the dispensations of God towards his people security senslesness under gods hand is the object of a wo. God threatens sensuality as a sin indelible Iâ—a 22.13 non-appreheÌ„sion of his peoples affliction with most heavy judgments to live at ease in Lion and not to regard the affliction of Joseph is the work of an hypocrite and an high transgression Amos 6.4 But to apprehend Gods anger provoked and his hand lifted up the Lord looks on that with delight Josiah shal dye in peace because his heart was tender when he heard the words of the Lord against Jerusalem 2 Cor. 34.27 And the mourners for all Jerusalems abominations make such melody in Gods ears that they shall be the marked of the Lord in the day of Jerusalems desolation Ezek. 9. It is a kind check Godgives Samuel for mourning over Sauls rejection 1 Sam. 16.1 It is an how long not why dust thou mourn for Saul the matter was pleasing the measure is burthensome and to be blamed 2. Affectionate and ardent for Gods honour Their good thoughts did heat their affections and make them to boil over into holy conference heat of heart towards God must have vent of tongue for God thus when David mused the fire waxed hot untill he at length was constrained to break his resolved silence zeal for Gods honour grief for sins successe sets the Godly on conference each to others holy language is the Ruptures of the heated affections and provoked passions of an holy heart The Parents danger will make that child speak who never spake before Stephen spake with such fulness fervency as when the coÌ„motions of his soul stirred by the blasphemies of the Jews shewed him to be full of the holy Ghost Acts 7. 3. Associated to the Saints Communion of Saints is an Article of Creed and advantage of grace to every sincere soul Schisme cannot be a sign of sanctity it is a fruit of the flesh never was any savingly nverted but he presently sought Communion with the Church for extra Ecclesiam nulla salus no salvatioÌ„ without the pale of the Church Saul is no sooner become a Paul but he assayed to join himselfe to the Church Act. 9.26 No member of the Church must be idle and dead or unprofitabl buâ— must gives and receive nutriment towards the increase of the whole body every joint must supply it's proper part which is and can only be done by holy conference Good lives and languages are the Churches veins in which the blood of Gods word doth run unto it's strength and growth so that the men who manifest life in their union with the Church are carefull to maintain Communion and they that confirm themselvs by holy conference in evill times do evidence themselves in society with and serviceable to the Saints Colloquy is an act of Communion conference is in company 4. Adhaerence unto God professions are the souls obligations purposes bind a man at his own good will and pleasure and are alterable but promises professions and publike discourses provoke other mens observation and expectation of performance and accomplishment and so abide not within our power conscience of a backsliding spirit doth bring many of the Saints under the bond of promises professions and good conference from which they cannot start without shame but conference of God and Religion in times of prospering prophanenâ—sse proclaim a resolution of adhaerency a care against apostasy by such confirming soul-establishing Colloquies They must needs resolve to follow God piety who are fervent in discourse for and of them when they find no favour in the World an heart apprehensive of present affairs affected with Gods honour associating with the Saints adhaering to God in times of discouragement is approved sincere in Gods sight but holy conference is the vent
great Articles of Christian faith Rom. 1.11 and Pauls Errand to Rome was to conferre of the doctrine of faith and see his Romans therein established and Schisme tending to an Apostacy from the faith must stirr up the Saints that keep the Union of the Church to hold the Communion of it by Edifying one another in their most holy faith so that it is not to be thought that men must live by an implicit faith to Receive what ever is magisterially imposed or be censured for maintaining a modest and humble debate and expostulation or conference about the fundamentall points and doctrines of faith and of salvation These things Christians you must know do belong to ministers as members of the Church and partakers of the same precious faith with your selves not as they are Ministers and Officers of and in the Church employed about peculiar service which other may not undertake to manage and although some of these are actions to be performed ministerially such as is Rebuking exhorting and the like yet they have adjuncts peculiar and an especial form no they become ministeriall and must not be medled withall by private men but in the matter and substance of them they lie common to believers members of Gods Church Christian brethren so far would I be from coÌ„demning that I would encourage and in the name of the Lord command you to maintain your society and make conscience of holy conference and therein of praying together conâ—â—ssing your sins one to another admonishing exhorting one another and doing all the acts of Communion wherein were the people of God more conversant piety would bee preserved and increased I have shewed you how far you may go in holy conference and hitherto not I but the Word of God will allow justifie you but be so prudent as to keep within your borders and take heed you do not break your bâ—unds I shall therefore in the next place propose those edifying acts which private Christians in their conferences are to apt to be medling withal whilst indeed they are holy more holy than the ordinary and common acts of sanctity and must not be meddled withall by every common hand although a believer nay a believer eminent for parts and piety and they are likewise seven which I do in the name of Christ adjure you to consider and avoid as out of your sphere and they are these viz. Private Christians may not constitute Churches constitution of Churches is an eminent act of authority and cannot be affected by any private hand I well know it hath of late been the principle and practice of many pretenders unto piety in their conferences which were at first private to constitute Churches the independent notions are that seven or eight fewer or more believers conjoyning themselvs into a Church are thereby constituted and therefore in the gathering of their Churches their Ministers have shamefully renounced the ministry and sinfully disowning the authority of Jesus Christ which thâ—y eâ—joyed resolve themselves into a private capacity as members and so by the Church gathered received the Ministery and indeed out of this corruption of holy conference have risen most of our gathered Churches among us which way of Church constitution is irrationall and Irreligious Irrational because no politicall body can constitute it self doth not civill pollicy call it a combination and conspiracy where men embodie themselves without publick authority who will suffer them to enjoy the priviledge or be subject to their Rules and orders as a corporation who Receive not their Charter from nor are constituted by publick Authority Is not the Church a body politique and every particular congregation parts of the Church Catholique and how then shall they constitute themselves Is there any thing true and good in nature and contradicted in Scripture is God a God of order in the world and of confusion in his Church is the Authority of the magistrate essentiall to the constitution of any corporation and company in any Town or City and shall men of Religion embody and give a Church form unto themselves shalâ— simple consent be the Ratio formalis of a civill conspiracy and Religious constitution not onely is it irrational but irreligious without the least colour of Authority or countenance of Scripture I shall not be afraid to challenge all the congregationallists to produce any commission from Jesus Christ by either precepts or president of self constitution of the Church I finde indeed a Commâ—ssion to go and Disciple the Nations and by baptisme to constitute them Churches of Jesus Christ but none dare presume to say this was given to private persons nor is it to constitute themselves unto a Church if there be other commission in the book of God let it be produced as there is no precept so we finde no pattern of a self constituted Church we Read of the Church at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus but which of them were of their own constitution had not every of them the Lord Jesus for their foundation and some of the Apostles for their founder in the name and Authority of Jesus Christ did not Christ institute the office of the minister before he did constitute the Church in the world and sent forth ministers to Gather in the elect and to constitute and confirm Churhes so that the ministery is before the Church and for the Church essentiall unto its constituton To Act without a commission and warrant from Christ is no lesse then superstition and presumption but to invert Christ his order and to neglect his method and Authority is high prophanesse to constitute a Church without commission is to build in the sand without any confidence of Protection or preservation to make the ministery to arise out of the Church is to make it the ministry of the Church not of Jesus Christ indeed I read of two self constituted Churches in the Scripture but they were both disowned by God and good men the one was the Church gathered by Corah his company with a cry of sanctity all the Lords people were holy they indeed flung off the ministry of Gods appointment but I need not tell you how good men flew from their tents and how God flunge this Church alive into the earth take heed you perish not in the gain saying of Corah the other was the ten Tribes who casting off the house of David did also cast off the ministry of God and constituted themselves a Church and so consecrated to themselves Priests oâ— the lowest of the people but the Priests of God and those who did fear the Lord throughout Israel packed from among them and they went to Jerusalem and continued in the Church constituted by God and not onely did good men but God himself cast off this self-constituted Church have a care you walk not in the way of Jeroboam Let not your private society and conferences become the Colledge of the Prophets or Rather conspiracies of Schisme however men seemingly holy and
yet gifts and graces are only communicated to the members thereof in Colloquie Saints stand charged each with other and the joints must supply their places by mutuall conferences administring nourishment to the whole body lively and profitable Christians do in evill times enquire the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying one to another come and let us joyn our selves unto the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant And in evill times they say every one to his neighbour and every one to his brother what hath the Lord answered and what hath hee spoken they do stand charged with the souls each of other and are therefore bound to exhort rebuke admonish comfort edifie one another And if ever the life of grace must bee manifested by acts communication it must bee in evill times the hour of temptation which commeth on them in a day of generall defection and diligent seduction the Saints must edifie one another in their most holy faith and save one another with feaâ—e pulling them out of the fire if you are will ng to witnesse your selves stupid under Gods heavy judgments sencelesse of Gods glory and the welfare of Religion and livelesse uselesse members in the body you may with due shame stand at distance each from other and smother thoughts of God in your own brests for want of vent by holy conference but consider profession of the tongue is no lesse usefull to salvation then the perswasion of the heart and withholding counsell from the weak in evill times is wickednesse 3. You disgrace Religion and are condemned by the wicked of the World whilst you sinfully suggest that sanctity destroyeth society and maketh the ungodly conclude Religion a solitary condition in which communion is not to be enjoyed whereas indeed holinesse is a bond of union and ground of Communion which whilst it seperates us from the Tabernacles of the wicked seateth us in the Temple of God and doth not more divide us from the society of the prophane then drive us into the CoÌ„munion with the Saints the scope of sanctity is to turn the stream and direct mens thoughts and expressions into an holy channell which not being thus employed makes Religion look like the Ruine of charity and that which barrs all kind of counsell admonition or conference The men of this world are wiser in their generations then the children of the kingdom they are Reduced into no straits but they run together and counsel each other to escape and evade them they agitate no affairs in the world but by good counsell and ordinary conference men that seduce from the truth are diligent and dextrous in their discourses Chatechizing and conference the two great preserva ive of truth and Religion have been exercised as eminent means of seduction whilest neglected by such as should be established by them is it not ashame that the enemies of God should beat us at our own weapon Popery Arianisme Socincanisme Anabaptism and other heresies are propagated hy Catechising and conference whilest these edifying exercises are omitted and slighted by the professors of truth in the affairs of this world we are common in Counsels and mutuall Colloquies but mindlesse of the great concernments of salvation Let it therefore be our shame that we are so slack unto acts of Communion and so carelesse of this eminent means of confirmation and the rather for that the successe of sin should stir us up unto the frequent discharge thereof Lay your hands on your hearts and blush who are professors of the same faith and worshippers of the same God pretenders to the same covenant and priviledges and yet such strangers unto each other and so much unacquainted that you speak not unto the comfort confirmation one of another Repent your sinfull neglect of these sociable soul-edifying acts of conference or renounce your relation to the Saints who have gone before you of whose spirit you do not partake Nay renounce your relation to God and his people of and to whom you speak so little that you seem insensible of their estate and unprofitable to their souls The 2. Use that I shall make of this doctrine is of exhortation to stir up the godly to be frequent in holy conference to get together and speak often one to another This is the duty incumbent on you that fear the Lord and cannot but be discharged by you whose hearts are full of thoughts of Gods holy name if you are indeed in union maintain the Communion of Saints and whilst you sit joyntly under the same ministrations of grace fail not in your places and capacities to minister one to another Consider Christian brethren Scripture as well as nature doth teach us it is not good to be alone we are not born for our selves we are members one of another we must seek every man the good of his neighbour the things of others not our own things solitude is not more burdensome and dangerous to nature then to grace nor more unsuitable to man then to a Christian much hurt have the godly received by solitarinesse when David exilde from Israel did walk alone in the land of the Philistins he fell into diffidence and despondency and blasphemous conceits that God had forgotten to be gracious he had in vain washed his hands and cleansed his heart in innocency and when Peter wandered alone in the high Priests hall he was overcome with the temptation to deny his master Profit of holy conference is ever great but most in evil times by it we are established in holinesse kept from falling Restored when fallen strengthened in the day of temptation quickened when dead and dull in duty It is the very veins of the Church by which every joynt supplieth its place unto the edification of the body there is not more profit then priviledge in holy conference It is the Communion of Saints and fellowship of the Gospel the comunication of the gifts and graces of Gods holy spirits it gives counsell in doubts and straits comfort in despondencies and sorrows It is the vent of grief easeth our hearts of the burden of sad apprehensions by friendly coÌ„plaints it is the expression of zeal which would burn he uphold of the heart by the Common consent of good men and mutuall counsell each of other how is it then Christian souls that you are so much unacquainted and unaccustomed to holy conference for shame content not our selves to hear the word preached but conserre of what you have heard live not in the Church but in your places communicate each to others as lively members of the Church are not the times evill in which we live do not the proud prosper are not they who work wickednesse set up and see we not men that tempt God delivered are not truth blasphemed ordinances trampled on sincere sanctity slighted vilified and contemned is not perfidy perjury violation oâ— solemn oaths and covenants the way to preferment do not men court us by providences into wayes pinciples