from one duty to another from one businesse to another from one place to another to performe the dutys of your particular callings and goe from them to prayer or hearing or meditation or discoursing with the Saints oh my brethren what a priviledge will you have none can be greater then to have the heart disposed unto every good word and worke for God Tit. 3.1 Luk. 12.40 7. Be much and often in the great duty of private prayer take heed of neglecting that spirituall and soule enriching duty it hath been and still it is the Common experience of the Lords people that the neglect of this dutie hath been unspeakably prejudiciall to their soules and beloved the Devill will Labour more to keep Believers from this dutie then I thinke from any other for nothing can prejudice the Devills Kingdome like unto this duty well performed now that your hearts may be the more engaged to this duty I shall intreat you to realize these few considerations and Scriptures Math. 6 6.9 Math. 26.41 Mark 13.33 Luk. 18.1 Luk. 21.36 1 Thess 5.17 1. IT is Gods way his Ordinance appointment to Communicate and â—onvey his choisest soul saving mercys to his People so that if ever you expect much of God be much in private prayer Math. 7.6 7 8 Psal 2.8 2. Cons God hath promised his Spirit to helpe such as shall be faithfull in waiting on God in this duty so that when you intend to pray but meet with great oppositions with much deadnesse and coldnesse of hâ—art many great temptations be not in the least discouraged but go to the Lord and tell him that you intend to pray as he hath commanded you but you cannot unlesse he will helpe you tell God that he hath promised his Spirit to helpe you and that now you Stand in need of him and intreat him to give him to you and take no denyall Rom. 8.26 27. Gal. 4 6. Joh. 14.26 3. Consider that the great God hath condescended to promise to heare the very groans and sighs of your hearts when by reason of the prevalency of your corruptions and temptations you cannot speake out your wants and desires to God Rom. 8 26 27. Psal 79.11 4 Your Heavenly Father invites you to converse with him he intreats you not to be strangers to him God would have his people to be familiar with him call on me saith God I will heare thee you may goe to God in Christs name as friends invited to feast with him and to aske what you will of him Psal 50 15 Math. 11.28 Joh. 15.7 5. Consider that your Heavenly Father Complaines much of his peoples strangenesse to him and tells them they had forgotten him days without number Jer. 2.32 Isa 43 22. 6. Consider that God is your friend and Father he is full of bowells of love compassion and goodnesse he will be exceeding ready to receive you and here your prayers and grant your desires so that when you goe to God to petition him for any mercy remember you goe to the greatest and most real heartedst friend that you have Exod. 34.6 7. Jer. 3.19 Psal 86.5 7. Consider that you have a great faithfull loving and potent friend in Heaven to transact all your businesses in Heaven between God and your soules one who can experimentally sympathize with you your advocate and Intercessor is man as well as God you may open your very hearts to him with as much freedome and holy boldnesse as you may to any friend you have in the world remember what he promised you before he went into Heaven and put him in minde of them and be sure that he will be as good as his word 1 Joh 2.1 2 John 14.13 14 15. John 16 23 24 26. John 15.14 8. Consider prayer is an appointment of God whereby God will hold Communion with his people in his Ordinance God communicates his minde unto his friends and the blessings of the new Covenant and Believers having received of God they give back againe to him by acknowledging his free mercy and grace in blessing and praising of his Name and in resting and relying upon him for further expressions of his Love and by commending his goodnesse and inhauncing it Jam. 4.8 1 and 2. Chapters of the Acts 9. Consider God hath promised to heare and to Answer the desires and requests of his people that are according unto his will and God is ever mindfull of his Covenant Jer. 29.12 13 14. Psal 34.15 10. Consider that if you shall be negligent in this duty you will quickly incurre guilt on your consciences and bring heardnesse upon your hearts you will grieve the holy Spirit and cause him to withdraw from you you will bring upon your selves many feares and doubtings which will greatly perplex and trouble your soules you will loose the exercise and use of all your Graces yea you will have all your spirituall comforts taken from you Psal 30.5 2. Be sure to performe this duty according to the will of God Oh my beloved t is not enough to pray much but take heed how you pray t is not any kind of praying that is a Sacrifice well pleasing to God Mat. 6.9 after this manner therefore pray ye saith Christ 1. Before you begin to pray set a part a little time to prepare by considering 1. What your wants are what you stand most in need of 2. Whether it be your duty at that time it is an easy matter to be mistaken and to pray when we should doe some other thing I assure you friends 't is a great thing yea a choise mercy indeed for a Believer to do all duties in their season 3. Whether God hath promised to give such things as you intend to aske whether there be any generall or paticular promise to be a foundation for your faith 4. Consider with whom you have to doe in prayer a God who is Justice Goodnesse Wisedome Strength Mercy Love Omniscient Omnipresent and a Spirit and then 5. Consider what frame of heart is or may be most suitable to these glorious Attributes of God 6. Consider your own unworthinesse how infinitely unworthy you are of such a priviledge 7. To consider your own insufficiency that you can do nothing without the assistance of the Holy Spirit and that he hath promised the Spirit to them that in sincerity aske him 8. To consider what encouragements you have from God to pray and other considerations you should use to prepare your hearts 3. When you go to God believe for much and expect much of God take heed of doubtings and of low and narrow expectations open your mouths wide that is your faith that God may fill your hearts Jam. 1.5 Psal 8.10 4. Be sure that you get your hearts affected with your wants and with the greatnesse preciousnesse of those mercys that can supply them that so your hearts may hunger and thirst earnestly after them Math. 5.6 5. Go to God the Father in Christs name go in
Christs worthinesse by his blood and Righteousnesse loke on him as on one that sits at Gods right hand to make intercession for you say unto God Lord though I am unworthy yet thy Son is worthy he hath purchased these mercys that I begge of thee John 14.13 14. 6. Pray earnestly heartily and Spiritually to God take heed of carnall dead heartlesse Sacrifice of formall praying for that will exceedingly prejudice your soules never leave off untill your hearts have been carryed up to God Ioh. 4.24 Coll. 3.23 1. COnsider your Consciences will not let you alone to rest contented except you doe the matter of a duty but then they will be for a time quiet in the thing done but know that no Sacrifice no Prayer can find acceptance with God but a hearty fervent prayer Jam. 5.16 Rom. 12.11 2. God requires the heart in all your dutys and therefore it is but reason that you should give that to him Prov. 23 26. 3. Consider unlesse you pray heartily and earnestly you cannot doe it in Faith now whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne Heb. 11.6 Rom. 24. ult 4. Consider if you doe not pray so you mock God you pretend to doe that which you do not and you know that that is a great sinne Gal. 6.7 Jer. 3.10 5. Consider if you do not pray so you rob God of his own that which is due to him you keep from him will a man rob God saith the Prophet will he be so wicked as to detaine that which he gives unto him Mal. 3.8 Mal. 1.8 9. 6. Consider that you will loose all your labour and paines God will never answer carnall cold heartlesse prayers here nor reward you for them hereafter he will say who hath required these things at your hands Isa 1.11 12 13 14. Math. 7. 7. Continue in prayer be not discouraged and put off with feares that you shall never obtaine that which you pray for because you are not answered presently but go againe and wrestle with God as Jacob did and resolve to take no denyall Gen. 32.24 25 26 27 28. 8. Then when you have prayed wait for and expect an answer looke after your prayers observe what answer the Lord gives to your prayers Psal 85.8 Sam. 11. 9. Commit your selves and your concernment your prayers and all into the hand of Jesus Christ as well after you have prayed as when you are praying and labour to quiet your hearts as the prophet did in the goodnesse of God let him doe what he sees good referre your selves unto him to his wisedome care and love 1 Pet. 5.7 8. I Beseech you brethren take heed of the world engage not your selves in more worldly businesses then you can well mannage and keep your hearts free for God and to have time enough for Spirituall dutys for prayer hearing Conference Meditation and examination 1 Joh 2.15 Rom. 8.6 Phil. 3.18 19. 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11 12. 1. Consider that though it may be profitable for the body yet 't will be very hurtfull and prejudiciall to your soules now you know the soule is much more precious then the body Luk. 12.32 to the 33 Luk. 22.34 2. Consider though you may feare and intend no hurt in so doing to your soules yet your hearts may soon be overcharged with the cares of this life for although in the first beginning your hearts may be kept with God yet by little and little you will find it will grow worldly Math. â— 24 to the end 3. Consider that you have no promise to be assisted and kept by God in so doing because God hath not called you to so many worldly businesses God never calls any of his people in love and mercy to more imployments then they may well do if they will be carefull and yet keep their hearts free for and close to God Coll. 3.1 2. Phil. 3.20 4. Consider if you doe so you will cause both Saints and sinners to have hard thoughts of you you will loose your room in spirituall hearts and sinners will conclude that you are covetuous earthly creatures 2 Tim. 4.10 Phil. 3.19 5. Consider if you engage in more worldly businesses then you ought you will expose your selves to more temptations then you will be able to beare 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11. 6. Consider 't is better to have Communion with God then to have much of the creature to have a praying â—enlarged heart then your purses full of mony and your barnes full of corne it is farre better to be enriched with heavenly things then with earthly Psal 4.6 7 Phil. 3.7 8 9. 7. Consider that Saints must be singular men they must be as lights to guide others wicked men must see that Saints are men of other Spirits of choice Heavenly minds Math. 5.46 47. Isa 63.8 John 17.16 9. ENdeavour to walke very humbly having low thoughts of your selves and shewing much meeknesse and humility before all men in your words deportments and in all things Coll. 3.12 Phil. 2.6 7 8. Prov. 39.23 Jam. 4.6 Isa 57 15. Isa 66.2 1 Pet. 5.5 6. 1. Consider that you were filthy vile wretched Creatures the worst of all excepting Divels before the Lord Jesus Christ did cleanse and wash you before his Righteousnesse covered you Ezek. 16.14 first verses Isa 51.1 Rom. 3.9 10 11 12 13 14 to the 20. 2. Consider that you have deserved nothing but hell and wrath or whatever may make you miserable 3. Consider that to be humble is to be like unto Jesus Christ himselfe he that was and ever shall be Coequall with the Father made himselfe of no reputation how low did he stoop to exalt you Phill. 2.5 6 7 8. 1 Tim. 3.16 John 13.13 14 15. 4. Consider that the more humble you are the more grace you shall have God delights to fill the Humble with Wisedome and knowledge he will open secrets unto such Psal 25. 1 Pet. 5.5 6. 5. Consider that Humility is a great and glorious ornament to Religion none can more honour the Gospell then an humble Christian he is a shining blessed Christian oh how doth humility commend religion unto others even unto Saints and sinners Math. 3.5 6. Consider that the more humble you are the more communion you shall have with God you will have more assisting Grace then others to keep you from backsliding God will quickly take his leave of a proud person but he loves tod well with him that is of a poor and of a contrite heart Is 57.15 Isa 66.2 Psal 138.6 7. Consider that you live upon free grace God may take that from you that of his free Grace he hath given to you if you forget him and lift up your selves with his mercys Math. 25.28 1 Pet. 5.5 8. Consider the great distance that there is between God and you how infinitely great and glorious he is he is glorious in holinesse fearfull in prayses and you are poor nothing Creatures poor wormes God may if he please crush you in peeces and give
Lord do not give Jesus Christ cause to complain of you that his adversary the Divell hath better servants then he do not make Christ ashamed of you t is a shame to Christ to have dead lifelesse members when your hearts begin to flagg and to lose their activity then go to him for life who is the fountain of Life Ioh. 10.10 Psal 36 9. Isa 55.1 16. Labour to have alwaies upon your hearts the allseeing eye of God Consider that God sees all your thoughts intentions and all your contrivements he pondereth all your wayes yea there is not a thought in your hearts but he knoweth it altogether Christians know that God doth very narrowly pâ—y into all your aymes and ends more then into others he loves the feet of his Saints Oh my friends this will keep you from the entertaining of many idle thoughts and vaine words from misspending of precious time from sinfull selfish aims and ends in what you doe it will be a meanes to make you walk warily and circumspectly before God Saints and sinners and prevent backsliding from God Psal 139.4 Prov. 5.21 Jer 17.10 17. Labour to be much affected with Gods favours to you but especially with the God of the Favours and mercies and endeavour to be very thankfull for them for soule mercies and bodily mercies Labour to see the true and full worth of the mercies that you enjoy consider that you are lesse then the least of them consider that all your injoyments all your mercies for your soules and bodies are given to you upon a speciall account they are new Covenant mercies and the Lord Jesus hath purchased them for you so long as you have a low esteem of mercies you cannot be affectionately thankfull for them Oh redeeming mercy electing mercy calling converting mercy confirming and coâ—forting mercies Oh how great is persevering mercy teaching and soule strengthening mercies oh your great Gospel mercies your Ordinary mercy your mercies of peace health and Liberty which all of the Lords precious Saints in the world cannot enjoy Math. 13.16 17. 18. Keep to the good way of God wherein you have walked and wherein you have found God sweetly revealing of himselfe unto you and take heed that you turne not aside to the right hand or to the left Oh labour to be stayd stable strong Christians take heed that you be not soon shaken in mind for t is a good thing that your hearts be established with grace let no man deceive you with vaine words and draw you back again from your faith and practice to the old corrupt formall way of worshiping God againe Oh let not the flatteries or frownes or reproaches of men though from your nearest relations in the least measure cause you to faint in your spirits or cause you in the least to decline from the ways of God if any man draw boâ—k saith God my soule shall have no pleasure in him think not that you doe not walk inthe ways of God because wicked men reproach you for so doing no my brethren but rather use it as an argument that you are in the way because you are reproached by such men Consider that so long as you walked as the world did and there was no difference between you and them they did not trouble you Gods owning of you and visiting you so often with such sweet expressions of love should confirme you in your principles and walking against all the Arguments of men Eph. 4.14 Heb. 13.9 2 Pet. 1.12 Gal 6.9 Heb. 12.3 4 5. Ioh. 15.18 19. 19. Let all that you doe all your purposes and intentions all your thoughts and words or as many as possble be directed to exalt the name of God When you heare the word preached heare for God that you may be made more like unto him that your hearts may be brought nearer unto him that you may know more of his will that you may doe more and so when you pray or converse with the people of God or with sinners pray for to exalt and honour him converse for God labour in all your callings and worldly businesses for God you will loose all your Labour cost and paines that you lay out and spend in any good work if you doe not intend for God and give it to him 1 Cor. 10.31 Col. 3.23 Prov. 3.6 20. I beseech you in the last place give diligent heed to these Rules that you have promised to walk by Labour to understand to remember and to practise every one of them so farre as they are practicall oh beloved your priviledges are many and great as you have oftentimes acknowledged to God and therefore be sure that your duties are many and great God having done more for you then for others oh therefore be more wise more holy more circumspect more loving more fruitfull more diligent and more faithfull then others oh labour to be more humble more sincere and more abounding in the work of the Lord. Oh my beloved friends in the Lord Jesus how insinitely are you ingaged to God you owe your selves and all your enjoyments unto him he hath kept back nothing from you that might doe you good he hath freely given his own Son his holy spirit oh rejoce in God and love and feare and honour him think nothing too much that you can doe to honour him he was contriving and lying out his thoughts from all eternity about your salvation contriving how to make you everlastingly honourable and happy Consider my deare friends you have but a few days to worke and suffer here you are drawing towards your rest oh how blessed will you be if you shall continue stedfast and unmovable in your walking with God unto the end Oh my Friends keep close to God he will keep with you he will not depart from you if you will not depart from him 2 Cron. 15.2 your God and Father will delight to do you good you may have the liberty to aske what you will and it shall be done if good for you oh fight strongly against your spirituall enemies you must fight before you can overcome before you can be crowned as conquerers even as Jesus Christ himselfe hath done for us and before us surely if we will be partakers with Christ in his Crown and Glory we must first suffer and worke with him Consider all the goodworkes that you shall performe in sincerity for the glory of God shall all be remembred at the last day to the infinite and endlesse Joy and comfort of your soules all your sufferings for Righteousnesse sake shall be abundantly rewarded feare not litle slock it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdome your Lord and Saviour will shortly come and see you he will fetch you home unto himselfe when your enemies shall have that dreadfull sentence depart from me ye cursed he will say to you come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome of Glory now you that have followed me shall sit upon twelve Thrones
such things for they are lawfull and others have done such things that have been holy wise men others have spent much time in seasting and merry meetings in jestings and merry discourses in sleeping and idlenesse and why not you also why these things are not altogether unlawfull and many other such wayes he hath to seduce you 3. Be sure to keep a strict watch when you are in vaine evill company for then you will be in great danger of being betrayed your hearts will soon be drawn to close with them at least to a conniving at them or to speak something that may manifest too much of your consenting to them and make them the more bold in their practises and betray your own hearts Psal 39.1 2. 4. Observe your hearts when providence calls you to change either your places or businesses or both for then you will be in great danger of loosing your hearts and your God too many gracious hearts have found it true by sad experience that have kept close to God for the most part after they have been converted so long as they have lived in the same places and followed the same imployments but in and after some considerable changes they have miserably fallen and departed from God 2 Sam. 11. 5. When you meet with any great disappointments and crosse providences or God at any time gives you your hearts desires then be sure to have a strict eye over your hearts for if you are not exceeding carefull at such times you will backslide from God for then your thoughts will be taken up about making some carnall advantag by the one or in looking too much on the second causes in the other at such times either your hearts will be too high or too low Job 1. 1 Sam. 1. 6. Watch when God calls you to the solemne performance of any spirituall duty either privately or publiquely least when you come to the performance you come without hearts or without hearts that will rather hinder you then help you 1 Pet. 4.7 7. Be sure to watch your hearts when you are in holy duties especially when you pray or speak before others or when you joyne with others in prayer your hearts will be like the fooles eyes in every corner of the earth at such a time or pride and selfe exalting will arise in your hearts 1 Cor. 3. 8. When you have performed any spirituall duties and you have met with God in it you have been filled with joy and enlargements of heart your hearts are warme and chearfull you can read your names written in the Book of life oh then especially watch then you have more need then at any other times 1. Because your hearts will rest upon your enjoyments and set them up in the room of Christ I doe assure you that I have found my heart readier to rest upon these broken reeds and to neglect Christ then at any other time now you should endeavour to see it Jer. 2.13 2. Because your hearts will attribute that which only is due to God to the Creature and say my own hands have done this or by the excellent gifts and graces of such a man who prayed and Preached admirably and so forget that the holy spirit did all for you and in you Isa 26.12 Phil. 2.13 3. Because the heart is very apt to grow secure and carelesse then more then at another time then Satan and your own hearts will tell you that now all is well and therefore eat drink and be merry untill you have so provoked the spirit as that he will take his leave of your hearts secretly you shall not know when nor how he departs 1 Kings 9.2 compared 11 chap. 1.4 4. Because if you should depart from God after such sweet expressions of his love you will more dishonour and grieve him then before and God will take it as a very proud affront to his Majesty that when he hath sweetly and gratiously answered your desires you should so much slight and undervalue him as not to endeavour to keep what he hath given you 1 King 11 9. Psal 85.8 5. Because when you were waiting and depending on God for such or the like favours as you have received you promised and vowed that you would improve them when the Lord should grant them now you cannot possibly make good your promises and vowes except you be very watchfull Psal 76.11 Eccl. 5.4 5. 6. Because then you have power your faculties and graces are prepared you have divine strength put into your hand to walk with God and to doe some singular thing for God for the farther advantage of your soules more then at another time Psal 36.9 Psal 30.5 Therefore be much in this blessed duty especially at such times and know that 't is not your duty only at such times though especially then but at all times in all places in all businesses in all companies in all your conversings with men and in all your conversings with God 1. NOw to quicken you to this great duty consider these few things first if you shall carefully faithfully and constantly practise this duty you will be able to see and clearly to discerne all passages between God and your soules you will see his comings in and goings out you will know the method of the spirits workings you will be ready to imbrace and receive all his benefits you will quickly see a clear difference between your own spirits and the spirit of God your own wisdome and strength and his you will see the worth of divine assistances 2 Pet. 4.9 the 4 5 6. Chapters of the Cant. 2. You will be well provided to wage warre with the Divell your Lusts and the World you will be able to see your enemies a farre off you will not be surprised but be able to fight with them at a distance and then you will have a very great advantage when you shall be able to fight with your enemies at the swords poynt I can say that when I have fought with sin and Sathan at a distance that I never was conquered but was still a conqueror through the Lord Jesus that strengthened mee 1 Pet. 5.8 Eph. 6. 3. Consider that God hath pronounced such blessed God blesses you even in the very performance of it besides what soule advantages you will have thereby as you have heard Revel 16 15. Math. 24.42 46. 4. Consider that it is your duty to watch therefore do it in obedience to Gods command make Conscience of performing this duty as well and as much as of any other Mark 13.33 34 35 36 37. 5. You will make your passage to Heaven the more comfortable you will make the way easy and plaine you will not be so often at a losse as others are that neglect it you will be able to runne when others can hardly creep you will rejoyce when others mourne Psal 51. 6. God will enable you hereby to be ready to every good worke you will be able to go